DOTSOFT S.A.’s Operations Director, Mr Stavros Katsaridis, spoke to Status FM 107.7 about the public debate that has opened in recent months in Greece regarding the ban or restriction of social media use for children under the age of 15–16, the potential benefits that may arise, and the tools available for this purpose.

“There are many tools on the market that can provide parental control applications,” Mr Katsaridis stated, adding that “there is now coordination and a state-level effort to make them even more effective.”

Regarding parental control tools and the ways in which children can be protected in relation to social media platforms, Mr Katsaridis noted:

“One way is through the platform itself. In other words, during the user registration process, someone can declare — and is required to declare — their age, and the platform can accordingly allow them to register or prevent them from registering. From that point onwards, if the user has access, the platform can filter the content made available to them.”

In response to the observation that, in this case, the person registering may lie about their age, Mr Katsaridis replied that “this is exactly why countries are intervening through government initiatives, and discussions have already begun in this context, so that the process becomes stricter and stronger user identification and verification can take place during registration.”

Regarding the methods available for further checks in the identification process, DOTSOFT S.A.’s Operations Director noted that there are currently two approaches that are considered the most effective: “The first is the Australian model: connecting these social media platforms with more central solution providers such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, which practically control the entire mobile phone, the entire device. Therefore, Google, Apple, and Microsoft have stricter user identification checks when the device held by the user is activated, requesting additional information about who the user is and how their identity is verified. The platforms then rely on these providers to verify whether the data declared at that moment is indeed accurate.

The second solution, which is the model currently being examined by the Greek government according to the Prime Minister’s statement, is the implementation of an intermediary application, such as the Gov Wallet that we adults are familiar with — a Kid Wallet. Once installed on a minor’s mobile phone, this application would request the parent’s consent and approval for the use of the device, certify and identify the user based on their personal details and age, and then, through this application, social media platforms would verify the data in order to allow or deny access to them.”

The major “challenge”, as Mr Katsaridis stated, is to enable pre-screening, something on which state organisations and platforms have agreed. If a minor needs to access social media platforms, such as YouTube, for example for educational purposes, then, through proper identification and age verification, the content can be filtered more accurately. This means that age-appropriate content can be offered and allowed, while inappropriate content can be prevented and blocked.

“This is already happening. The whole issue has simply become stricter. There is now coordination between state organisations and platforms, and they are trying to improve this even further, so that these filters operate more effectively, always in relation to the verification of users’ details.”

A similar mechanism is expected to be used in browsers, so that what a person searches for online through a browser can be filtered appropriately, as there are risks for minors from digital gambling platforms, platforms with digital sexual content, and even dating platforms.

Listen to the interview of DOTSOFT S.A.’s Operations Director, Mr Stavros Katsaridis, on Status FM 107.7.