Greece bans social media for under-15s from 1 January. Kids Wallet will check ages

From 1 January 2027, social media platforms in Greece must keep out users under 15. The Greek parliament passed the law overnight from 22 to 23 October, Al Jazeera and Greek Reporter reported. The duty to check ages falls on the platforms, not on parents.

Only Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s New Democracy voted for the bill. PASOK abstained after pushing its own version, and five opposition parties voted against. The debate ran for more than 16 hours.

Kids Wallet will tell platforms only whether a user is 15

TechRadar reported that a platform unable to confirm a user’s age will show a QR code. The user scans it with the state’s Kids Wallet app. The platform learns only whether the person is over or under 15, not the exact age or any other data. Greece’s Digital Governance Ministry says checks should not send unnecessary personal data to platforms.

Age is counted by calendar year. Children born in 2012 can use the services from January 2027, even if their birthday comes later that year.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn fall under the Greek law

According to TechRadar, coverage depends on how a service works, not on what it is called. Messaging apps stay open to younger children. Parental consent does not let an under-15 sign up, and accounts opened before 2027 are not exempt.

Greece’s broadcasting council and its data protection authority will supervise the rules. The European Commission handles the largest platforms under the Digital Services Act.

Greece joins Australia and the UK on age limits

About 20 countries restrict young people’s access to social media, Al Jazeera reported. Australia’s under-16 ban took effect in December 2025. TechRadar notes that France’s under-15 law was struck down in August 2026 and that the UK plans an under-16 limit from spring 2027. At EU level, the EU KIDS Act would bar under-13s from social media.

Platforms are also fighting each other over teen safety. Earlier, a New York lawsuit claimed TikTok gave teens a reset button that did nothing.

From 1 January 2027, Greek users born in 2013 or later must be off these platforms. Teen-focused campaigns in Greece have until the end of December to move budgets elsewhere.