“We didn’t go to the conference in Paris as mere observers; we went to showcase initiatives,” stated Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou in an interview with ERT News, discussing how Greece is utilizing artificial intelligence. He also mentioned the Kids Wallet app, which will be ready in March, as well as the Citizen’s Portal, which will consolidate all public services for citizens.

Papastergiou referred to the AI Summit in Paris, where global leaders discussed strategies for AI regulation. He also highlighted the Daedalus supercomputer and the AI-powered Land Registry system presented by the Greek delegation.

“Our next goal is to leverage data in healthcare, disaster response, and the launch of Greek microsatellites,” the minister emphasized, noting that Europe has a regulatory framework in place. However, he pointed out that “Europe imposes strict rules, while the U.S. takes a more hands-off approach. This is one of the key topics of discussion.”

Speaking about the use of anonymous data for research, he stressed that “data governance is critical. The new bill ensures that our data remains anonymous unless we choose to share it for research purposes.” When asked whether Europe risks falling behind in AI’s second phase, he responded: “Europe must act swiftly to avoid missing out on this phase of AI development, just as it fell behind in the first wave of technological advancement.”

Regarding measures to combat children’s addiction to social media, Papastergiou pointed out that “the government has launched initiatives such as parental control apps and age verification on social media platforms.”

A Key Initiative: Kids Wallet

“The app will be ready by late March and will allow for parental controls and age verification,” Papastergiou said about Kids Wallet. He added that “it will give parents the ability to monitor both the time spent and the content their children access on social media.” He also highlighted that this is a Greek-developed application, which has been discussed in both Dubai and Paris.

When asked how platforms will verify users’ age, he stated: “Platforms will be required to extract users’ age to apply appropriate content filters.” As for the minimum age for social media access, he said the threshold is still under discussion: “It could be 12 years old with strict regulations and 12-15 with more relaxed restrictions.”

“Parents will have tools to control their children’s access, but open dialogue with kids is also necessary,” he noted. He added that the app “will be much more user-friendly and will feature pre-set options to make things easier for parents.”

What He Said About the Citizen’s Portal

Responding to a question about digital IDs and their use for identification at stadiums, Papastergiou stated that the system is already in place and functioning successfully. Regarding upcoming digital services, he announced that the Citizen’s Portal will be integrated into the Wallet app in February, allowing citizens to store all their documents in one place.

“It’s a digital space where the Greek government can upload various rights and obligations we have as citizens, making transactions with the public sector more convenient,” he explained.

Regarding the My Street app for sidewalks and public spaces, he stated: “It will inform us whether a public space has been legally occupied or not, and we’ll have the option to file an anonymous or named complaint.”