MADRID — Spain Plans to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16

Spain is set to prohibit social media access for individuals younger than 16, according to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, as part of an initiative to protect youth from harmful online content.

Speaking at a Dubai summit, Sánchez criticized major tech companies for allowing illegal content, like child sexual abuse materials and non-consensual deepfake images, to thrive on their platforms. He emphasized that governments should also take responsibility instead of ignoring these issues.

Sánchez remarked, “Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone. We will no longer accept that.”

This decision places Spain in line with other nations, such as Australia and France, which are either already enforcing or contemplating restrictions on minors’ social media use.

Recently, France passed a law prohibiting social media for those under 15, set to begin at the next school year in September. It also includes a ban on mobile phone use in high schools.

Meanwhile, Australia has begun implementing the first global ban on social media for individuals under 16, making platforms like TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram accountable for keeping children from creating accounts.

Denmark has enacted similar rules for users under 15, while the U.K. announced plans to consider prohibiting young teens from accessing social media, tightening regulations aimed at safeguarding children from dangerous content and excessive screen time.

Sánchez indicated that Spain would mandate social media companies to employ robust age verification systems to enforce this ban, emphasizing the need for effective measures rather than just superficial checks.

Most social media apps set the minimum age at 13, but enforcement varies greatly, often relying on users to self-report their age.

The new ban will complement existing digital protections for minors that are currently under discussion in Parliament, according to a government spokesperson. Sánchez mentioned that a vote could occur as soon as next week.

However, it’s uncertain if Sánchez’s left-wing coalition can secure the necessary parliamentary approval, as his government lacks a majority. A spokesperson from the far-right Vox party criticized the measure as an attempt to stifle dissent, while the main opposition, the center-right Popular Party, has previously proposed similar restrictions, suggesting some support.

Social media giants Meta — which oversees Facebook and Instagram — and X did not respond to requests for comments right away.

In contrast, Elon Musk, owner of X, labeled Sánchez as “the true fascist totalitarian” in response to his address at the World Governments Summit in the UAE.

Sánchez’s address also indicated that Spain has joined five other European countries in what he termed a “coalition of the digitally willing” to synchronize social media regulations on an international level.

Additionally, Spain is looking to criminalize the manipulation of algorithms that promote illegal content and hold tech executives accountable for not removing such content from their platforms. “No more pretending that technology is neutral,” Sánchez asserted.

Both of these proposals would need parliamentary approval before changing existing Spanish law.