Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced plans to ban children under 15 from accessing social media, a move he said will be put to a parliamentary vote in summer 2026 and is expected to take effect on 1 January 2027.
The announcement was made in a short video message addressed directly to minors. Opening with the phrase "Six-Seven", a viral expression among young people, Mitsotakis said that concerns raised in recent years by parents and children had informed the proposal.
According to the prime minister, parents report that their children "do not sleep well, become anxious easily and are constantly on their phones." He added that children themselves say they feel tired from "comparison, comments and the pressure always to be there."
Mitsotakis stated: "When a child spends hours in front of a screen, the brain does not rest." He further explained, "Our goal is also to push the European Union in this direction," he said. "I am sure many of you will be angry with me. If I were your age, I might feel the same."
He continued: "Our role is not to always be pleasant… If something makes us feel more anxious, worse, less good than we really are, then maybe it is worth putting a stop to it." He criticised what he called "the addictive design of certain applications" and "a profit model based on your attention." Concluding, he addressed parents, stating, "No law can replace your presence. This policy is simply a tool to help you."
