Cyprus proposes digital adulthood at 15 and a ban on social networks for younger children
The government adopted a three‑pillar action plan: set a minimum age of 15, develop EU‑model age verification and boost digital education.
Cyprus’s government has approved an action plan that proposes setting the minimum age for access to social networks at 15, effectively barring younger children from using those platforms, the deputy minister for research, innovation and digital policy, Nikodimos Damianou, announced after a cabinet meeting.
The plan rests on three pillars: establishing an "age for digital adulthood", creating a digital age‑verification mechanism, and expanding education and awareness for children, parents and teachers.
Verification, apps and parliamentary timetable
The draft bill will be opened for public consultation shortly and, according to the government, is expected to be submitted to Parliament for a vote in December this year. The age‑verification tool will be developed following the technical model proposed by the European Commission (EU Age Verification Blueprint) and will be integrated during the next year into the government’s Digital Citizen app so users can prove they meet the age requirement without sharing other personal data.
Education and awareness measures outlined in the plan include a gradual restructuring of school curricula at all levels to introduce modules on safe and creative internet use, teacher training programmes, targeted campaigns, information days and workshops for pupils and families.
Commenting on the reasons behind the measures, Damianou stressed the scale of the challenge: "Social networks are actively used by 98 per cent of young people in Cyprus, the highest percentage in the European Union. However, weak results are observed in the key skills for assessing and evaluating information," he said.
He also cited international studies indicating that increased use of social networks is linked to addictive behaviour patterns, neglect of other activities, family conflicts and other negative effects on daily life. The government’s move comes as Brussels is preparing EU‑level measures to restrict access to social networks for children under 15.
Photo: Profimedia
