Social media ban for children. Residents to weigh in on consultations

The planned social media ban for children under 15 is scheduled for public consultation. Citizens' Affairs Commissioner Irini Pogiatzi announced that residents will soon be able to express their views through a special questionnaire. The date of its release and the end of the feedback process have not yet been announced.

The consultations will be the next step in preparations for new regulations on protecting minors online. The government approved the action plan on September 16, and the draft legislation is expected to be submitted to Parliament in December. Restricting access to social media platforms remains a proposal – not a binding ban.

Social media ban for children: what will be the subject of consultation?

Pogiatzi announced the questionnaire at the Cyprus Forum in Nicosia on Tuesday, September 29. The discussion focused on residents' participation in public decision-making.

The Commissioner spoke generally about restricting internet use by teenagers. However, the previously approved government plan specifically addresses online social networking sites and the proposed age limit of 15.

Based on the announcements made so far, there is no basis to present the bill as a complete cutoff of children from the internet, educational websites, or all online services. The precise scope of the regulations will depend on the content of the bill.

The consultations are intended to allow residents to evaluate the proposed solutions before the legislative process is finalized. They were previously announced to be conducted through the "Głos Obywatela" (Citizen's Voice) platform, as well as through discussions with youth organizations and relevant institutions.

What would age verification look like?

Simply enshrining an age limit in law won't solve the problem of enforcement. Currently, users can often provide their date of birth, which the platform doesn't verify to confirm their actual age.

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy Nikodimos Damianou announced the development of an age verification mechanism. The plan is to utilize a European solution and integrate it with the Digital Citizen service.

According to the proposed assumptions, the platform would receive confirmation that a user has exceeded the required age threshold, without storing additional personal data. Social networking sites would be responsible for implementing appropriate mechanisms.

Verification could also apply to people who already have accounts. The detailed operation of the system and the platforms' responsibilities are to be specified in regulations.

Draft bill in December, implementation later

Damianou indicated December 2026 as the planned date for submitting the bill to parliament. This does not mean that the ban will take effect that same month.

First, consultations and an assessment of the proposed limit's impact on children's rights will be conducted. The bill will then have to go through parliamentary procedure.

The minister also announced time to adapt platforms to new requirements. The technical implementation of age verification won't happen overnight.

Young people are also expected to participate in the discussion

Pogiatzi emphasized that consultations require clear rules, transparent information, and equal access to materials. She also announced that young people will present their proposals during a special meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the president.

This is also important when working on internet restrictions. The new regulations will directly affect young users, so in addition to the views of parents, teachers, and experts, the participation of youth organizations has been announced.

For now, residents must wait for the questionnaire to be published. Only its content will reveal what questions the government intends to ask and which elements of the proposed ban will be subject to review.

Sources: Cyprus News Agency, Philenews, Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy