Cyprus government approves plan to restrict social media access for minors

The Cyprus Cabinet approved an Action Plan on September 16, 2026, aimed at protecting minors from the risks associated with social media platforms. A central provision of this plan is the establishment of a "digital age of adulthood" set at 15 years, prohibiting children under this age from creating profiles or interacting publicly on such services. Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou justified the move by citing data indicating that 98% of young people in Cyprus use social media, which is the highest rate in the EU, often coupled with low information literacy skills and risks of addictive behaviors.

Responsibility for enforcing these age restrictions will shift to the platforms themselves, which will be required to implement reliable verification mechanisms. These mechanisms are expected to integrate with the national "Digital Citizen" application within the coming year, allowing for age confirmation without exposing excessive personal data. The government plans to subject the draft bill to public consultation via the "Voice of the Citizen" platform and conduct a Child Rights Impact Assessment before submitting the legislation to the House of Representatives for a vote in December. The initiative also includes components for digital education for students, teachers, and parents.