Twenty-five Greek and international organizations have expressed strong concerns over a proposed Greek government bill that would ban children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, according to a joint letter sent to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and relevant ministers.
Public debate over the measure began in early April, when the government announced plans to introduce stricter restrictions on minors’ use of social media. The proposal sparked reactions from parents, educators, scientists, and digital rights groups, centering on the balance between child protection and digital freedoms.
The discussion took on a more formal dimension after the draft law was uploaded on May 12 to the European Commission’s TRIS platform as part of the EU notification and international consultation process.
One week later, 25 organizations from Greece and abroad- active in mental health, human rights, child protection, digital rights, computer science, and consumer protection- co-signed a detailed 19-page letter criticizing the legislative initiative.
The organizations argue that the proposed “age verification” process would affect not only minors, but effectively all internet users in Greece. According to the letter, mandatory identity verification tools and digital wallets could transform internet access into a system of continuous monitoring and surveillance, gradually limiting anonymity in the digital public sphere.
The signatories also criticize what they describe as the lack of meaningful public consultation before the measure was introduced. They claim there was no participatory process involving scientists, social organizations, or even children themselves, while also questioning whether the recommendations of the relevant committee of Greece’s Central Health Council (KESY) were taken into account. According to the letter, the committee had reportedly expressed reservations about generalized bans.
The proportionality of the measure is also at the center of the criticism. While the organizations acknowledge that real risks for minors exist online, they argue that blanket bans are not an effective solution. Instead, they propose strengthening digital literacy, educating children and parents, and imposing stricter obligations on platforms themselves to curb addictive and exploitative design mechanisms.
The letter further raises concerns about potential social exclusion for families lacking sufficient digital skills or modern technological tools. It also notes that minors may turn to circumvention methods such as VPNs or unregulated platforms, which could ultimately increase risks to their personal data.
A significant portion of the letter focuses on the legal implications of the proposal. The organizations argue that the Greek initiative may conflict with the European Union’s existing framework for digital services under the Digital Services Act (DSA). They note that the DSA provides for the protection of minors and the management of systemic risks, but not generalized age-based access bans or mandatory user identification.
The letter’s authors also criticize what they describe as contradictory public statements and ambiguities surrounding the proposal, arguing that these create uncertainty about both the actual scope of the measure and its legal viability.
The text further notes that the scope of the regulation could extend beyond major commercial platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, potentially including decentralized social networks such as Mastodon and PixelFed, which operate without centralized corporate control or algorithmic systems designed to maximize user engagement.
Questions are also raised over the apparent exclusion of YouTube from the proposed regulation, despite its popularity among minors and its use of similar content recommendation mechanisms.
The organizations conclude by calling on the government to launch an open public consultation, publish the recommendations of the Central Health Council, provide full transparency regarding the technical and legal opinions accompanying the measure, and adopt policies requiring platforms themselves to become safer for all users.
Source: Ta Nea
