Social media ban to affect Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat

A projected prohibition connected children younger than 15 utilizing κοινωνικά media platforms will stop entree to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat arsenic of January 1, 2027 for anyone calved from 2012 on, the blimpish authorities said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the prohibition successful a TikTok video addressed to youngsters, saying draught authorities would beryllium brought to Parliament for support successful the summer. He besides urged the European Union to follow a akin prohibition for each its members, and to standardize online age-verification tools by 2027.

At a property league aboriginal Wednesday, authorities officials said the measurement would impact the 4 main κοινωνικά media platforms “that support you endlessly scrolling,” but nary restrictions would beryllium adopted for messaging and video platforms such arsenic Whatsapp, Viber, Messenger and Youtube.

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said the database would beryllium updated successful the aboriginal if deemed necessary.

“Children’s brains are still evolving,” helium said. “And experts hold that the unchecked use of such platforms tin pb to stress, depression, sleep nonaccomplishment … cyber bullying and κοινωνικά isolation.”

Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou said the projected model would not unit κοινωνικά media platforms to use their ain mechanisms to verify users’ ages, alternatively relying connected existing European verification systems.