Greece develops app to curb excessive internet use by young people

In a bid to curb excessive internet use among young people, Greece announced plans to launch a government-run app in 2025 that would improve parental supervision over mobile devices.

Why it matters

The app comes after a recent survey conducted by KMOP, a prominent Greek research organization, highlighted the urgency of such measures.

The study found that 76.6 percent of children ages 9 to 12 regularly access the Internet through personal devices and 58.6 percent use social media daily. Worryingly, 22.8 percent of these young users have encountered inappropriate content, yet many are unaware of basic safety features such as blocking or reporting harmful interactions.

What you should know

Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’s digital governance minister, said the Kids Wallet app, set to launch in March, aims to protect children under 15 from the risks of excessive and inappropriate internet use.

The app is powered by a widely used government services platform and integrates seamlessly with an existing smartphone app used by adults to carry digital identification documents.

Papastergiou said the app’s dual functionality will integrate advanced algorithms to monitor usage and apply strict authentication processes.

Papastergiou says the app will also help make social media platforms more accountable for enforcing age controls.

These online child protection measures would go beyond regulations already in place in several European countries and introduce more direct government involvement.

But critics have raised concerns about privacy and the potential overreach of government-monitored tools.

What people say

Papastergiou told reporters: “It’s a big change. The Kids Wallet application will do two main things: it will make parental controls much easier and it will be our official national user age verification tool.”

Now in the USA Parenting Coach Liat Hughes Joshi previously told Newsweek that internet access, if used correctly, could be beneficial for young people.

She said: “We need to have more nuanced conversations, not just about the quantity of technology use, but also about the quality. Educational activities such as learning to code or learning a foreign language or playing chess online. If used carefully, the Internet can also be a place where you can find emotional support and advice when you find yourself in a difficult situation, such as being bullied.”

Former teacher Mike Bonitatibus previously told Newsweek about the concerns he saw between children who grew up with unfiltered internet access from birth and those whose screen time was carefully moderated by their parents.

“In my observation, children who grow up with moderate internet access tend to develop stronger social skills, more discipline and the ability to concentrate on tasks. In contrast, children who grow up with full access to devices often find it difficult to have social interactions and may exhibit problems.” “It was concerning to see previously respectful students adapting to a culture of distancing and disrespect for authority figures said Bonitatibus.

What happens next

Papastergiou said the government hopes to have the children’s app pre-installed on smartphones sold in Greece by the end of 2025.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.