Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Tuesday that his government plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media, requiring platforms to implement effective age verification systems and holding company executives legally accountable for illegal or harmful content. Sánchez said the proposal is part of a broader effort to “regain control” of the digital space and protect minors from addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation, and violence.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Sánchez said social media has become a space “our children were never meant to navigate alone,” pledging to protect them from what he described as the digital “Wild West.” The proposed ban, which still requires parliamentary approval, is expected to be approved by Spain’s Council of Ministers next week and would amend legislation currently under debate to explicitly prohibit minors from registering on social media platforms.
Under the plan, platforms would be required to adopt effective age verification systems, replacing self-reported age check boxes with what Sánchez called “real barriers that work.” The proposal would also criminalize the manipulation of algorithms to amplify illegal content and establish a new system to track how platforms fuel division, hate, and disinformation. Sánchez said executives and platforms would no longer be able to “hide behind code” or claim technological neutrality.
The package also includes provisions to investigate and prosecute crimes committed using digital tools such as Grok, TikTok, and Instagram. Sánchez said authorities would target platforms whose algorithms amplify disinformation and harmful content in exchange for profit. The European Commission is already investigating Grok over concerns it was used to generate sexualized images of real people, while authorities in France and the UK have launched separate probes involving X.
Spain’s proposal follows similar moves across Europe. France is pushing for a ban on social media for children under 15, Denmark has announced plans for restrictions on under-15s, and Portugal’s center-right Social Democratic Party has introduced legislation requiring parental consent for under-16s. The UK government has also launched a consultation on a potential under-16 ban. Australia implemented the world’s first such ban last year, a move now being challenged in court by Reddit.
Social media companies argue that age bans are difficult to enforce, ineffective, and risk isolating vulnerable teenagers. Reddit is currently challenging Australia’s ban in the High Court. Several major platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Discord, and Meta, were approached for comment but have not responded.
The proposal faces political hurdles in Spain, as Sánchez’s left-wing coalition lacks a parliamentary majority. The conservative People’s Party has indicated support, noting it previously proposed similar restrictions, while the Vox party has opposed the measure. In response to the announcement, X owner Elon Musk labeled Sánchez a “tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain.”
