Greece will require social media users to register with government-issued identification, effectively ending online anonymity in a move that civil liberties advocates warn could set a precedent across the European Union.
The legislation, expected to pass parliament this week, mandates that platforms operating in Greece verify users' real identities through official documents. Users who decline to provide identification will be barred from posting content, though they may retain read-only access to platforms.
Greek officials justify the measure as necessary to combat online harassment, disinformation, and illegal content. "Anonymity has become a shield for the worst elements of our society," said Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou, according to Euractiv. "This legislation will make the internet safer while preserving free expression."
Critics contest that framing. Digital rights organizations argue that anonymity protects vulnerable populations—including political dissidents, LGBTQ individuals in conservative communities, and whistleblowers—from retaliation. The European Digital Rights network has called the Greek law "a fundamental threat to online privacy and freedom of expression."
The legislation places Greece in potential conflict with EU privacy regulations, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation, which limits mandatory data collection. The European Commission has indicated it will review the Greek law for compliance with EU standards, though officials stopped short of threatening immediate legal action.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Greece has pursued increasingly aggressive internet regulation since 2023, when viral misinformation campaigns targeted government officials and sparked public protests. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has made online safety a signature issue, positioning his New Democracy party as defending social order against digital chaos.
