Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sánchez said the move was aimed at protecting young people from the harmful effects of online content, including hate speech, pornography, disinformation and online abuse. Social media companies will also be required to implement robust age-verification systems to enforce the ban.
'Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone,' Sánchez said. 'We will no longer accept that. We will protect them from the digital Wild West.'
The prime minister said his left-wing coalition government has grown increasingly concerned about the impact of social media on minors, warning that risks such as addiction, manipulation and violence 'cannot be accepted.' He stressed that age checks must be 'real barriers that work,' not simple box-ticking exercises.
Spain's announcement follows a similar move by Australia, which in December became the first country to ban social media access for under-16s. The decision is being closely watched by other European nations, including Britain and France, which are considering comparable age-based restrictions. In France, lawmakers are finalising rules to curb access for children under 15.
Sánchez also revealed plans to introduce a separate bill that would hold social media executives legally accountable for illegal and hate content hosted on their platforms. The proposed measures include criminalising algorithmic manipulation and the amplification of unlawful content, as well as establishing systems to track hate speech online.
In addition, prosecutors will explore potential legal infractions linked to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Elon Musk's AI tool Grok, Sánchez said, citing concerns over disinformation and other alleged abuses.
The Spanish leader said the challenge of regulating social media extends beyond national borders. Spain has joined five other European countries in what he called a 'Coalition of the Digitally Willing,' aimed at coordinating cross-border digital regulation. The group is expected to hold its first meeting in the coming days, though Sánchez did not name the participating countries.
'We know this is a battle that goes far beyond the boundaries of any one country,' he said, calling for broader European cooperation to rein in the power of global technology platforms.
Rania Umutoni
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/spain-to-ban-social-media-for-children-under-16
