Greek Parliament passes law banning social media for children under 15 – in force from 1 January 2027
23-10-2026 · English
Topics: Sports, Governance, Health & Awards · 23 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)
News
After a debate of over 16 hours, the Greek (Hellenic) Parliament in the early hours of 23 Oct 2026 passed a law barring children under 15 from social media, effective 1 Jan 2027. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are covered; parental consent gives no exemption and existing accounts are included. Where a platform cannot determine age, a QR code linked to the government 'Kids Wallet' app confirms only whether the user is over or under 15, without sharing name or birth date. Only the ruling New Democracy party backed it; PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Key facts
| Passed | Early 23 Oct 2026 – Hellenic Parliament, Athens |
| In force | 1 January 2027 |
| Age limit | Under 15; no parental-consent exemption |
| Age check | Government 'Kids Wallet' app – QR code; no personal details shared |
| Oversight | Greek broadcasting council & data protection authority; for the largest platforms the European Commission under the Digital Services Act (DSA) |
| Politics | Backed only by New Democracy; PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis |
Background
- Globally: Australia – Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024; its under-16 ban took effect on 10 Dec 2025 – the first such nationwide ban; regulator – the eSafety Commissioner. France's under-15 ban was struck down by its Constitutional Council (Aug 2026) as unduly restricting free expression.
- European Union: Digital Services Act (DSA) – platform responsibility for content; General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, from 2018) – personal data; Digital Markets Act (DMA) – competition. Greece is one of seven EU countries working with the Commission on an age-verification tool.
- India: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 – a 'child' is under 18; verifiable parental consent is mandatory to process a child's data; the Data Protection Board of India hears complaints. DPDP Rules, 2025 notified 13 Nov 2025; core duties apply from 13 May 2027. The IT Act, 2000 covers cyber offences.
Tamil Nadu link: In December 2025 the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court (Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan) observed that the Centre could consider a law like Australia's (no social media accounts for under-16s) to regulate children's internet use; until then the State and National Commissions for Protection of Child Rights could draw up an awareness action plan (PIL by S. Vijayakumar).
Source: The Next Web, US News/Reuters, NewsBytes (23 Oct 2026); Parliamentary Education Office (Australia); AffairsCloud (DPDP Rules); Business Standard (26 Dec 2025)
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