Greece bans social media for under-15s, effective Jan 2027

Greece's parliament yesterday approved a law banning children under 15 from using social media, effective January 1, 2027. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's New Democracy party passed the bill using its majority—no other party supported it. Social platforms must verify user ages or face severe penalties. Opposition party PASOK abstained, preferring a ban only for under-13s with parental controls for ages 13-14.

Greece joins roughly 20 countries—including Australia, France, Brazil, and the UK—restricting minors' social media access. Supporters argue addictive algorithms harm children's mental health; critics question whether age verification can actually work.

For Nigerian parents and policymakers, this signals a growing global push to regulate children's digital lives. Nigeria has no similar law yet, but the conversation is emerging. Will Nigeria follow with age restrictions, or focus on digital literacy and parental tools instead?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/24/greece-bans-social-media-use-for-children-under-15/