Greece has announced to ban access to social media for those under the age of 15, from January of next year, citing concerns over mental health and the addictive design of online platforms.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move was aimed at tackling rising anxiety and sleep problems among young people, as well as “addictive design” of social media.
In a video message posted on TikTok yesterday, Mitsotakis said that many young people tell him that they feel exhausted from comparisons, from comments, from the pressure to always be online. He said he had spoken with parents who said their children do not sleep well, are anxious and are always on their phones.
The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers’ screen time.
France, Austria and Spain are among a growing number of nations pursuing similar curbs. The UK government has launched a consultation on whether to implement a ban for under-16s, while Ireland and Denmark are considering similar measures.
Australia in December last year became the first country in the world to require TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and other top sites to remove accounts held by under-16s, or face heavy fines.
Social media companies argue that blanket bans will be ineffective, difficult to enforce and could isolate vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is challenging Australia’s law in court.
Mitsotakis also said Greece would push for action at a European level. In March, Meta and YouTube were found liable in a landmark US trial over a woman’s childhood addiction to social media.