The list of countries banning young teens from social media keeps getting bigger. Here’s the latest

Greece is moving forward with a ban on under-15s using social media, becoming the latest country to restrict young teens from using the online platforms.

On Wednesday, April 8, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to restrict social media use by age starting on January 1, 2027, Reuters reports.

In a video announcement directed to Greece’s young people, the prime minister cited concerns such as problems sleeping, increasing anxiety, and social media platforms’ addictive designs. 

In the video, Mitsotakis also pointed to factors such as children not allowing their minds to rest, feeling constant comparisons, and spending long hours scrolling through their phones. 

Mitsotakis followed the announcement with a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Greek news organization OEMA reports. 

In the letter, the prime minister detailed Greece’s plans and pushed for a “unified European framework” on the issue by the end of the year.

Mitsotakis proposes a standard age-verification system, repeated verification every six months, and a European “digital age of majority” of 15-years-old—or the minimum age to use social media. 

Which countries have age-centric social media bans in place? 

Greece joins 10 countries around the world that have already taken steps to restrict young people from using social media, while more are considering such moves.

Such widespread moves would’ve been unthinkable until recently, with companies such as Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram and Facebook, focusing on parental control.

On December 10, 2025, Australia became the first country to outright ban social media for a certain age group—completely restricting it for people under 16.

The European Union (EU) has also taken steps to ban social media use for under-16s, requiring parental consent for young people aged 13 to 15. In November, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted 483 to 92 in favor of a non-legislative report calling for the age restriction. 

EU members such as France, Italy, and Australia have already taken separate steps to restrict social media use by age.

Elsewhere, countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Thailand have also taken steps toward banning social media for young people. 

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