Greece - National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction

The Greek National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction was developed and adopted by the Ministry of Digital Governance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. This strategy constitutes a holistic approach to ensuring the digital well-being of children and adolescents, aiming to create a safe, healthy, and supportive online environment.

Excessive screen time affects the mental and physical health of children and can lead to issues such as anxiety, isolation, and dependency. The National Strategy acknowledges the need for immediate and coordinated intervention to holistically protect minors in the digital world.

The strategy is built on 3 pillars of action:

• Awareness and Sensitization. Nationwide awareness campaigns are foreseen for parents, educators, and students. The goal is to raise understanding of the dangers of digital addiction and to strengthen digital literacy.
• Digital Protection Tools. These include the parco.gov.gr platform for parental control and the Kids Wallet application for age verification and pre-set parental settings.
• Regulatory Interventions. The strategy proposes setting the 'Digital Age of Maturity' at 15 years and developing institutional frameworks for protection.

Enhancing the Digital Skills of Minors

The strategy emphasizes strengthening children's digital skills through integrating relevant content into school curricula and providing educational material that fosters critical thinking and responsible online behavior.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Strategy

The implementation of the strategy will be systematically monitored and evaluated based on data on minors’ internet usage, ensuring its continuous adaptation to emerging needs. The strategy is an ambitious yet essential initiative. It combines awareness, technology, education, and regulation to enable children to make the most of the internet safely and responsibly.

The full text of the strategy.