Μake us preferred on Google Greece will host representatives of major technology companies next week for talks on implementing its new minimum age requirement for social media users, State Minister Akis Skertsos has announced.
In an interview with WIRED Greece, Skertsos said the companies had been invited by the government to explain how they plan to verify users’ ages and ensure the restriction is enforced when it takes effect on January 1, 2027.
The meetings will also focus on cooperation between the platforms and Greek authorities. Skertsos said Greece aims to serve as a testing ground for measures that could also be adopted elsewhere in Europe.
“Our message is simple,” he said, arguing that safeguards that can be introduced in the United States should also be possible in Europe.
Platforms to present age-verification systems
Under the proposed arrangements, technology companies will be asked to outline the age-verification mechanisms they intend to use. Skertsos said platforms could rely on different trusted systems rather than being required to adopt a single application.
He pointed to Greece’s Kids Wallet and European age-verification solutions as potential tools. He also highlighted the possibility of using zero-knowledge technologies, which would allow a platform to confirm whether someone meets the age requirement without receiving their personal information.
The minister acknowledged that users might attempt to circumvent the restrictions. No regulatory measure can guarantee complete compliance, he said, but that should not prevent governments from establishing rules.
As an example, he cited Australia, which introduced a minimum age of 16 for social media use in December 2025.
Athens says EU procedures will not delay the law
Skertsos also addressed questions about the relationship between Greece’s legislation and the European Union’s regulatory framework.
He said a 12-month pause by the European Commission on national social media bans would not prevent Greece from implementing its law. According to the minister, the country’s notification period under the relevant procedure had already ended before the Commission presented its proposal for the EU Kids Act.
Greece had also consulted with the Commission during the summer and incorporated all of its recommendations, he said.
Platforms could face fines of up to 6% of global revenue
The minister pointed to the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) as the framework for penalties in cases of noncompliance. The regulation allows fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global turnover, although this is a maximum limit rather than an automatic penalty.
Users will be able to file complaints with Greece’s National Telecommunications and Posts Commission (EETT), while families may also seek civil compensation when the legal requirements are met, Skertsos said.
He cited a settlement reached by Meta in the United States in August 2026, under which the company agreed to changes affecting users under 18 on Facebook and Instagram and payments of up to $17 billion across 47 states. Skertsos described the agreement as an “indirect admission of responsibility.”
YouTube and algorithms part of wider child-protection strategy
Skertsos said the age restriction was one element of a broader government strategy addressing the effects of digital platforms and algorithms on children and young people.
YouTube is already subject to the Digital Services Act, he noted, but should not automatically be treated in the same way as social media platforms because it provides content that users can access without necessarily creating an account. Any additional requirements will depend on the final wording of the European legislation, he said.
The minister also referred to OECD findings from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which have highlighted declining academic performance and difficulties with attention. Social media alone cannot explain all of these problems, he said, but the findings provide a serious reason for action.
He added that 13 of the 15 organizations that took part in a parliamentary hearing supported the need to establish age limits.
Minister criticizes lack of political consensus
Skertsos described the absence of political consensus over the legislation as a “misfortune,” attributing opposition parties’ refusal to support it to pre-election political confrontation.
He also discussed the challenges posed by disinformation and deepfakes, saying Greece is participating in the European Democracy Shield initiative and preparing a national strategy to address misinformation.
However, he stressed that no definitive technological solution to deepfakes currently exists. He urged citizens to check the source of online content rather than accepting material at face value.
