Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus is preparing to implement a social media ban for children under 15, with age verification expected to be carried out through the Digital Citizen application. The plan has raised concerns about privacy and whether the measure could affect broader users.
Announcement and proposed verification method
President Nikos Christodoulides announced last week that Cyprus is poised to implement a social media ban for children under 15, saying the age verification system would be via the Digital Citizen application, which is described as a non-mandatory digital storage for personal data.
Privacy concerns and potential wider impact
The proposed use of the app prompted concern among those wary of being forced to download an application that stores personal information and among those seeking to keep their online digital presence to a minimum. Questions have also been raised about whether a ban intended to protect young users could affect others.
International example and effectiveness
The plan follows a broader international trend pioneered by Australia, which introduced a similar ban in December 2025. A recent report on the effectiveness of that ban found that 61 per cent of Australian 12 to 15-year-olds who had accounts on restricted platforms before the ban still had access.
EU role and assurances on data control
Christodoulides said on April 16 that Cyprus is among EU member states moving forward immediately with implementation of the European technical proposal for age verification online. He was responding to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who presented the EU’s age verification application the previous day and said users would remain “in full control” of their data because the EU does not want platforms to scan passports or faces.
How the system is intended to work
European Commission spokesperson for tech sovereignty Thomas Regnier said technical work by the European Commission has been concluded and member states may produce the tool as a standalone app or integrate it into national solutions such as Digital Citizen. Regnier said the app is “fully privacy-preserving” and is intended to confirm a user’s age without providing information to the platform.
“Once the app receives the proof of age, the link between the provider of the proof and the user is cut and no data flows,” he said.
Next steps in Cyprus
Cyprus is moving forward with preparations to integrate the application at a national level using the EU verification mechanism as a blueprint.
Do you support Cyprus integrating the EU age verification tool into the Digital Citizen app for an under-15 social media ban?
