Greece is preparing to introduce significant restrictions on children’s access to social media, with Instagram, Facebook and TikTok among the platforms covered by a new regulatory framework scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis played a central role in the government’s presentation on Monday, October 12, 2026, emphasizing the growing concerns surrounding children’s mental health, excessive screen time and early exposure to social networking platforms.
Speaking alongside senior government officials, Georgiadis outlined the public health rationale behind the initiative, arguing that families need stronger institutional support to manage the challenges created by children’s increasingly intensive digital lives.
The initiative forms part of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ broader strategy to strengthen protections for minors in the digital environment.
Unlike the social networking platforms covered by the proposed restrictions, messaging applications such as Viber and WhatsApp will remain outside the same prohibition.
Georgiadis: “We Are Legislating to Help Parents”
At the heart of Georgiadis’ intervention was a message directed at parents struggling to establish healthy boundaries for their children’s online activity.
“The state, the government and public authorities, drawing on the extremely worrying findings of scientific research, are legislating to help parents and relieve them of this difficult position,” the health minister stated.
His remarks reflected the government’s view that responsibility for protecting children online cannot rest exclusively with individual families.
Parents increasingly face challenges when trying to limit access to digital platforms designed to encourage frequent engagement and prolonged use.
According to Georgiadis, the new framework aims to provide families with clearer rules and practical institutional support.
Rather than leaving parents to negotiate screen-time limits entirely on their own, the government intends to establish obligations for major digital platforms.
Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: What Changes in 2027?
The proposed restrictions will apply to major social networking services, including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the government plans to restrict access to these services for children under 15.
The framework is expected to require digital platforms to implement effective age-verification procedures, moving beyond systems that rely exclusively on users declaring their own dates of birth.
The policy focuses on services featuring algorithmically recommended content, personalized feeds and engagement mechanisms that encourage continuous interaction.
The government’s objective is to reduce children’s exposure to potentially harmful online experiences while establishing clearer responsibilities for technology companies.
The precise technical requirements, enforcement procedures and compliance obligations will depend on the final legislation and its implementing provisions.
Why Viber and WhatsApp Are Exempt
One of the key distinctions in the proposed legislation concerns messaging applications.
Viber and WhatsApp are excluded from the same restriction applying to the social networking platforms identified during the government’s presentation.
The distinction reflects differences between services primarily designed for private communication and platforms centered on public content distribution, algorithmic recommendations and social engagement.
Messaging applications can still present online safety and privacy risks for children.
However, under the framework presented, they are not subject to the same prohibition.
This distinction is expected to be important for families seeking clarity about which digital services their children will be permitted to use.
The Alarming Figures Presented by Georgiadis
Georgiadis placed particular emphasis on research findings that he described as deeply concerning.
According to the figures presented by the health minister, more than half of lower-secondary school students began using social media between the ages of 10 and 12.
He also cited findings indicating that one in four students reports excessive social media use.
Meanwhile, one in five children reports nervousness, insecurity or difficulty concentrating when unable to access their mobile phone.
These figures were presented as evidence of the challenges associated with early and intensive exposure to digital platforms.
They do not mean that every child using social media develops an addiction, nor do they establish that social media alone causes mental health difficulties.
Nevertheless, the findings cited by the minister raise questions about the age at which children begin using these services and the potential consequences of prolonged engagement.
For Georgiadis, they provide an important basis for preventive public health measures.
“We Cannot Turn a Blind Eye to Serious Problems”
The health minister made clear that the government’s initiative should not be interpreted as opposition to technological progress.
He acknowledged that digital technology has become an essential part of modern life, while arguing that innovation must be accompanied by safeguards for younger users.
“There is a difference between recognizing the need to be part of the modern world and turning a blind eye to serious problems,” Georgiadis said.
The statement captured the central argument behind the proposed restrictions.
Digital literacy and access to technology remain important educational and social objectives.
However, the government argues that unrestricted access to certain social networking platforms requires separate consideration, particularly for younger children.
The proposed measures therefore seek to distinguish between participation in the digital world and exposure to online services that may encourage excessive use.
Mitsotakis’ Initiative and the Role of the Health Ministry
Georgiadis attributed the initiative to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, explaining that the prime minister had instructed the relevant ministries to examine the issue seriously and develop practical solutions.
“We are absolutely convinced that what we are doing is right,” Georgiadis stated, expressing the government’s position.
The presentation took place at the Bodossaki Building in Athens, with the participation of Minister of State Akis Skertsos, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, and Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou.
Their involvement reflects the different dimensions of the proposed framework.
The Health Ministry is responsible for addressing the public health and preventive aspects of the initiative, while the Ministry of Digital Governance is involved in the technical requirements associated with age verification and platform compliance.
The interministerial approach is intended to coordinate these responsibilities as the legislation moves forward.
From Tobacco and Alcohol Restrictions to Digital Protection
During his remarks, Georgiadis connected the social media initiative to earlier legislation aimed at protecting minors from access to tobacco and alcohol products.
He noted that the Health Ministry had already advanced measures strengthening restrictions on minors’ access to these products.
The minister presented the new social media framework as part of a wider preventive policy intended to address risks affecting children’s health and well-being.
Although tobacco, alcohol and social media involve different risks and require different regulatory approaches, the common principle highlighted by Georgiadis was the state’s responsibility to establish safeguards for minors.
The initiative also reflects a growing policy focus on prevention rather than responding only after problems emerge.
How Will Age Verification Work?
A central question surrounding the proposed restrictions is how digital platforms will reliably establish whether users meet the minimum age requirement.
Digital tools such as Kids Wallet and Gov.gr Wallet have been discussed as possible mechanisms for verifying age-related eligibility.
However, the proposed framework does not require every family to use one particular application as the exclusive verification method.
Technology companies will be expected to implement reliable age-assurance systems while respecting privacy and personal data protection requirements.
The challenge will be to verify users’ eligibility without unnecessarily collecting or exposing sensitive personal information.
The final legislative and technical provisions will determine how these requirements operate in practice.
A Broader European Debate on Children’s Online Safety
Greece’s initiative comes amid wider European discussions about protecting minors online and establishing clearer responsibilities for digital platforms.
Across Europe, policymakers are considering age restrictions, safer platform design, improved verification systems and stronger safeguards against potentially harmful content.
The Greek proposal adds a national legislative initiative to that broader debate.
Its implementation will depend on the final legal framework, the technical reliability of age-verification systems and the ability of regulators to ensure platform compliance.
The legislation must also complete the relevant parliamentary procedures before becoming law.
Georgiadis’ Central Message: Supporting Families in the Digital Age
The health minister’s intervention placed the emphasis on children and families rather than technology regulation alone.
For Georgiadis, protecting minors from the potential risks of excessive social media use is a public health concern requiring coordinated government action.
His central argument is that parents need clearer institutional safeguards when dealing with platforms whose influence extends well beyond ordinary communication.
As Greece prepares for the planned January 2027 implementation, attention will increasingly focus on the final legislation, the responsibilities imposed on social media companies and the practical impact on families.
The government’s stated objective is to establish a safer digital environment for children while giving parents greater support in managing the challenges of the online world.
Source: pagenews.gr