Comprehensive intervention on youth addiction to social media under consideration by the government – Heavy penalties for alcohol sales

The government is preparing a comprehensive intervention on the issue of youth addiction to social media, accelerating its efforts following Australia’s recent announcement of restrictions on social media access for individuals under the age of 16. Already, government initiatives, such as the “Kids Wallet” being developed by the Ministry of Digital Governance to limit minors’ access to platforms and enforce age verification for users, have come to light.

Tomorrow morning, a closed preparatory meeting will be held at the Maximos Mansion to shape this overarching strategy. The planning is primarily being handled by the Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, and the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Sofia Zacharaki, while initiatives involving schools and the Hellenic Police are also part of the strategy. The meeting aims to allow Prime Minister Mitsotakis to provide guidance on the interventions planned for the coming period.

According to a relevant government source speaking to protothema.gr, a key aspect of the strategy will be engaging parents. For this purpose, a major awareness campaign is expected, utilizing even “unexpected” channels to deliver the message. Additionally, the aforementioned “Kids Wallet” is one of the most immediate actions and will effectively link the use of popular apps to an age verification system. This application is expected to be available in the early months of the new year.

Furthermore, starting next year, the government plans to introduce stricter regulations regarding the sale of alcohol to minors by restaurants, as announced by Minister of State Akis Skertsos. According to protothema.gr, the Hellenic Police will take over as the primary enforcement authority, rather than municipal authorities. Restaurant staff will also be required to request ID from customers if there is suspicion they are underage.

Lastly, fines will be significantly increased, with particular emphasis on license revocation for repeat offenses. For example, after a first violation, the establishment will face a 5-day closure; for a second violation, a 20-day closure; and for a third violation, an indefinite shutdown.

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