Should kids be on social media? Europe moves toward age limits

Platforms like Instagram and TikTok expose minors to cognitive risks such as anxiety, sleep disruption, and reduced attention spans. They also bring risks of cyberbullying, exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, online grooming, and data privacy violations.

Greece just decided to ban access to social media for children under the age of 15, with the measure expected to take effect from 1 January 2027 following parliamentary approval. The government says the decision addresses rising concerns about children’s mental health, screen addiction, and online safety, and would require platforms to block underage users and potentially involve mandatory parental control systems.

It joins a growing list of EU countries who have made similar decisions. For example, France passed a law banning social media use for under-15s to be enforced from September 2026, and Spain proposed a ban for under-16s in 2026. Denmark announced plans in 2025 to restrict access for under-15s with parental exceptions, Austria agreed in 2026 on a ban for under-14s. Italy and Slovenia also introduced draft laws in 2026 targeting under-15 users.

This push to protect minors is fervently encouraged by EU institutions. The European Commission just announced a new age verification app to standardise the way every online platform verifies users’ ages across the bloc. It joins previous child protection efforts like the Digital Services Act (2022), the European Parliament resolution (2024), and the European Commission guidelines under the DSA (2025).

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