Greece bans social media for those under 15 — RMF24

Last week, the Greek parliament passed a law banning access to social media for people under the age of 15. RMF24 reports, citing Politico. The Greek decision has become one of the national measures that European Union countries are considering ahead of the introduction of common rules across the bloc.

National restrictions in EU countries

Italy is continuing discussions on measures to protect users under the age of 14. Portugal officially notified the European Commission of its proposals and asked it to provide an assessment. Cyprus' ministers approved their own ban for people under 15 on the day Brussels presented its draft.

Austria and Germany are also working on national solutions regarding age restrictions for platform users. At the same time, EU countries support the idea of uniform rules that would give Brussels the authority to oversee major platforms, including Instagram and TikTok.

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Kids Act draft

On September 18, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the Kids Act draft in her annual address. It provides for a ban on access to social media for children under 13 and significant restrictions for people under 15.

According to the estimates cited, agreeing on and implementing common standards will require negotiations and could take months. EU rules are expected to enter into force no earlier than 2028.

Arguments in favor of restrictions

The article notes that excessive use of social media by children is associated with sleep and concentration problems, as well as reduced physical activity. Prolonged time on platforms may increase the risk of exposure to cyberbullying, hate speech, and inappropriate content that algorithms may promote.