Greek National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction

• May 21, 2025
• admin

The Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, has developed and published the “National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction”. 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.

Need for Intervention: Internet Addiction as a Contemporary Challenge

The ever-increasing use of the internet by minors has highlighted internet addiction as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. 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.

Three Pillars of Action for the Protection of Minors

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

Collaboration with European and International Bodies

The strategy seeks cooperation with European and international organizations for the exchange of best practices and the joint formulation of protective policies.

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 National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction 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 in English is available here: National Strategy for the Protection of Minors from Internet Addiction