Spain Plans to Prohibit Social Media Access for Those Under 16

The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has announced a proposal to ban minors under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms.

During the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sánchez stated, "Platforms will be required to implement effective age verification systems — not just check boxes, but real barriers that work. Today our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone. We will protect [minors] from the digital Wild West."

This initiative is on track to be approved by the Council of Ministers in Spain next week, as it seeks to modify a draft bill currently under discussion in the Spanish parliament.

The proposed ban forms part of a more extensive set of measures which Sánchez believes are essential for "regaining control" of the digital landscape. "Governments must stop turning a blind eye to the toxic content being shared," he emphasized.

Additionally, the legislative proposal includes holding social media executives accountable for illegal content on their sites, introducing mechanisms to trace the proliferation of misinformation, hate speech, or child pornography across social networks. It also seeks to criminalize algorithm manipulation and the promotion of unlawful content.

"We will investigate platforms whose algorithms amplify disinformation for profit," Sánchez remarked, stressing that "spreading hate must carry consequences — legal, economic, and ethical — that platforms can no longer afford to overlook."

Spain is joining a rising trend across Europe regarding stricter online regulations to protect children.

Denmark announced a similar ban for those under 15 last fall, while France is urging for a comparable prohibition to be enacted by September. Meanwhile, in Portugal, the ruling center-right Social Democratic Party has recently introduced draft legislation requiring parental consent for minors under 16 seeking to access social media.