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Spain unveils plans to block under-16s from social media
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday that Spain intends to prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, citing concerns over addiction, abuse, and harmful content.
Government outlines strict new measures
The proposed legislation, which requires parliamentary approval, would mandate robust age verification systems for social media companies. Sánchez emphasized that these systems must go beyond simple checkboxes, referencing loopholes exploited by minors in Australia to bypass restrictions.
The reforms would also hold company executives accountable for illegal or harmful content on their platforms and criminalize the manipulation of algorithms to amplify such material.
"We will no longer accept that our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone-a place of addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation, and violence," Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.
Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain
Global momentum for age restrictions
Spain's move follows Australia, which became the first country to implement a similar ban last year. France, Denmark, and Austria are also considering national age limits, while the UK government has launched a public consultation on the issue.
Social media companies have pushed back, arguing that such bans would be ineffective, difficult to enforce, and could isolate vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is currently challenging Australia's ban in the High Court.
Broader crackdown on digital harms
The proposed Spanish laws would also establish a system to monitor how digital platforms fuel division and amplify hate, though details on its implementation remain unclear.
Sánchez announced plans to investigate and prosecute crimes linked to platforms like Grok (X's AI tool), TikTok, and Instagram. The European Commission has already launched an inquiry into Grok over concerns it was used to generate sexualized images of real people, while the UK and France are conducting their own investigations.
X has not responded to the investigations, though it previously described France's probe as an attack on free speech. Elon Musk, X's owner, responded to Sánchez's announcement by labeling him a "tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain."
Political hurdles ahead
Sánchez aims to pass the legislation next week, but his left-wing coalition government lacks a parliamentary majority, complicating the process. Spain's main opposition party, the conservative People's Party, has expressed support for similar restrictions, while the far-right Vox party opposes the ban.
TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Discord, and Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) have all been contacted for comment but have not yet responded.
