Cyprus government considers raising minimum age for social media use

Following the summer holidays, the Cypriot government plans to submit a proposal to the Council of Ministers to increase the minimum age requirement for minors to access social media platforms. Deputy Minister of Innovation Nikodimos Damianou stated that the government intends to set the age limit at 15 years. This initiative aims to establish a comprehensive legislative framework rather than just a simple age restriction, including action plans for public awareness and strict enforcement mechanisms.

Currently, the legal age for social media access in Cyprus is set at 14, in accordance with data protection regulations that require parental consent for younger children. The government is studying the implementation of these measures by reviewing international experiences, specifically noting the challenges encountered during similar initiatives in Australia, which struggled to effectively limit underage access. Once the proposal is finalized by mid-September and approved by the Council of Ministers, it will be forwarded to the House of Representatives for formal parliamentary debate and voting.