What just happened? Another country is banning young people from using social media. Starting next year, children under 15 in Greece will be prohibited from the likes of TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Somewhat ironically, the video by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announcing the move was posted to TikTok.
Mitsotakis called the legislation, which is expected to pass this summer, "difficult but necessary." He started the video by referencing the phrase that became hugely popular among young people last year: "6-7 – Now that I have your attention."
As reported by The New York Times, the PM said that parents are worried that their children, who spend a lot of time on their phones, are not sleeping properly and are becoming anxious more easily.
He added that many young people say they are tired of social media comparisons, comments, and the constant pressure to be online all the time.
"Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative," Mitsotakis said. "I am certain, however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."
@kyriakosmitsotakis_ Αποφασίσαμε να προχωρήσουμε σε κάτι δύσκολο αλλά απαραίτητο: να απαγορεύσουμε την πρόσβαση στα social media σε παιδιά κάτω των 15 ετών.
♬ original sound - Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Mitsotakis did not name the platforms, though they're expected to be the usual suspects that are part of similar laws in other countries. Officials later confirmed that the ban would not apply to messaging apps.
Mitsotakis went on to say that that the Greek government does not want to distance children from technology, noting that it can be a source of inspiration, knowledge, and creativity. But he warned that the addictive design of certain applications that push users into spending more time on their screens deprives kids of their innocence and freedom.
Under the new measures, digital platforms would be required to verify the age of users. Any that fail to comply would face fines under the European Union's Digital Services Act.
Another element is something we've not seen in other countries with age-related social media bans. Parents need to download a state-backed app called Kids Wallet onto a child's device. This is linked to a parent's account to restrict access. The app is already being used to limit how much time kids spend on their devices and prohibit the purchase of age-restricted goods.
These types of social media bans are appearing in more countries. Australia was the first, and France, Indonesia, Austria, Spain, and the UK have since introduced similar restrictions or are considering them.
In the US, several states have their own social media bans or restrictions. Some think a nationwide ban could eventually happen, especially after Meta was recently found liable for harm to children in a social media addiction trial.