Greece plans to enforce a ban on social media use for teenagers through a state-mandated app, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced, citing concerns over children’s mental health and excessive screen time.
Mitsotakis said many parents had reported that their children struggle with sleep, anxiety, and spend long hours on their phones. “Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative,” he said, adding that the government aims to encourage the European Union to follow suit.
The app will block access to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook and is already used to prevent underage teenagers from buying cigarettes and alcohol. The measure builds on previous policies that banned mobile phones in schools and introduced parental control systems to monitor screen time.
Public support for the ban appears strong. A February poll by ALCO found that around 80% of adults surveyed backed the restrictions. The Greek Safer Internet Centre in Athens reports that 75% of social media users among children are of primary-school age.
“Ban them, shut them down. We’ve reached our limits… We parents need help,” one mother told Reuters ahead of the announcement, reflecting widespread parental concern over the impact of social media on young users.