GREECE Law and Practice Contributed by: Nikos Nikolinakos, Dina Kouvelou and Alexis Spyropoulos, Nikolinakos & Partners Law Firm
program is considered original if it is the author's own intellectual creation, which is a crucial ele - ment for their protection and a challenge faced by game developers. Computer-aided design files are also protected if they include source code. The presentation of video games is protected as an audiovisual work, while individual images are protected as works of photography. The titles, names, logos and other graphic ele - ments of video games that characterise and dis - tinguish them from others may be protected as trade marks, and their use by third parties who may use similar marks that may confuse con - sumers is prevented. However, the protection of computer programs specifically under trade mark law is only possible indirectly, as only the title of the program can be protected as a trade mark, if it is lawfully registered as such, when it is contained in manuals, accompanying material or the packaging of the program. 10. Social Media 10.1 Laws and Regulations for Social Media With regard to legislation regulating social media platforms, the following should be noted: • the DSA establishes rules for intermediary digital services provided to users residing in the EU, regardless of whether or not the provider’s country of establishment is within the EU; • Law 5099/2024, which complements the implementation of the DSA, establishes oversight institutions for the domestic market of intermediary internet service providers,
the competent supervisory authorities for the DSA, and sanctions in case of violations; • Law 4779/2021, which is the transposition of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, includes social media network services under the jurisdiction of Greece within its scope, with regard to their audiovisual content, to the extent that they provide programs, videos generated by users or both, for the purpose of information, entertainment or education, for which the service provider has no editorial responsibility and provided that this provision is a basic function of the social networking service; • social media platforms are regulated under Presidential Decree131/2003, which trans - posed the e-Commerce Directive; and • Law 5160/2024, which transposes the NIS2 Directive, has included providers of social networking services platforms under the juris - diction of Greece within the entities that fall within its scope. Legal Obligations The DSA and Law 5099/2024 define the obliga - tions of providers of intermediary digital servic - es. In addition to obligations that are common to all, further obligations are established depending on the size of the providers and the type of ser - vices, including: • registration in the register of providers of intermediary services; • the adoption of notice and action mecha - nisms; • a ban on targeted advertising on online plat - forms; • the publication of transparency reports; and • notification of suspicions of criminal offences. Pursuant to Law 4779/2021, among other obli - gations, social networking services under the
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