No Social Media until 15 – Ban for Elementary & Middle School children on the way

The Greek government is now moving towards prohibiting children under the age of 15 from accessing social media. Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis announced the proposal by the Ministry of Digital Governance for the “Kids Wallet,” a dedicated parental control application, as well as the development of a comprehensive national strategy to tackle internet addiction among minors.

The meeting aims to provide guidelines from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for upcoming measures.

The data is particularly concerning worldwide, as 30% of social media users are children. In Greece, this percentage rises sharply, with 75% of elementary school children having social media profiles. At the same time, Greece ranks first in Europe for calls to the Safe Internet Helpline regarding internet addiction cases.

Regarding age verification, the minister explained, “One solution could be the personalization of devices — age verification via the citizen registry to enable access to social media.” He emphasized the urgency of addressing the availability of inappropriate material on social media platforms, noting that “a more extreme solution is needed for younger children.” Papastergiou added, “If platforms were to implement ethical limits on what content they serve to children, this issue could be managed differently. We need to assess the current situation, determine what we are doing as a country, and see what actions providers can take in this unregulated and uncontrolled environment of social media.”

“Social media platforms and digital providers must come to the table and demonstrate measurable actions prioritizing safety over profit. Their designs must be age-appropriate, protect children from addiction, and avoid using their personal data to build personalized profiles. The overarching principle is simple: do no harm,” emphasized the minister.

User data generated by platforms has become the “oil” of the internet. In early August, the Financial Times revealed a secret advertising agreement between Google and Meta targeting minors online. Last week, the European Commission launched a preliminary investigation into this deal, specifically the advertising campaigns promoting Instagram through YouTube. Reports suggest Google employees assisted Meta in bypassing company policies to target minors, in clear violation of Google’s official rules. This essentially involved hacking the data of users under 18.

The intense reliance on mobile devices and the virtual world traps minors in a state of “unfreedom.” Algorithms on social media dictate behaviors and influence subconscious decisions. “Before we even decide what to purchase or where to vacation, they can predefine our habits based on collected data, then bombard us with targeted ads,” noted Georgios Kormas, head of Greece’s Safe Internet Help Line. He expressed full support for the government’s initiative to restrict children’s access to social media. “This effort to enhance children’s safety on social media is crucial. It’s naïve to think extreme challenges or violent phenomena don’t multiply through social media. Daily, we observe influencers and YouTubers setting behavioral trends that children adopt uncritically.”

He also highlighted the particularly addictive nature of platforms like TikTok. Young users often bypass age restrictions using their parents’ credentials to access prohibited platforms.

How Can Children Be Protected?

Kormas praised the government’s efforts to tackle internet addiction and suggested complementary measures, such as programs to develop social skills, promote sports and culture, and engage children in the real world. He also called on parents to actively support the initiative, emphasizing that abstinence from social media could be a form of modern-day “revolution” for young children.

“Parents can’t expect children to quit social media while they themselves are on Instagram,” he noted. “They must also lead by example.”