Spain has announced a ban on social media access for children below the age of 16, compelling digital platforms to introduce strict age verification systems. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez disclosed the policy on Tuesday.
Sanchez made the announcement while addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai, noting that Spain is joining a growing number of countries taking tougher measures against how technology companies expose young people to online risks.
He described the decision as a response to the largely unregulated digital spaces where children spend significant time without adequate safeguards. According to the Prime Minister, these online environments are designed for adults, leaving young users exposed to harmful content and predatory behaviour.
Addressing global leaders, Sanchez said the government would no longer tolerate a situation where children are left to navigate dangerous online spaces on their own.
“Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone, and we will no longer accept that,” he said, adding that the government intends to shield them from what he described as a “digital Wild West.”
The Prime Minister further revealed that new legislation would be presented next week, aimed at holding social media executives personally accountable for illegal and hate-related content hosted on their platforms. This marks a shift from previous approaches that relied mainly on fines, which large corporations often treat as routine business expenses.
Spain’s move follows Australia’s landmark decision last December to become the first country to ban social media use for children under 16. Several European nations have since been monitoring Australia’s implementation closely.
Countries such as the United Kingdom and France are now considering similar restrictions as concerns grow over the documented negative effects of social media on young people.
Naija News reports that Australia’s action has ignited global debate over how governments can protect children online while still allowing them to develop essential digital skills. Studies have increasingly linked excessive social media use among teenagers to issues such as anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and self-harm.
Spain’s combined approach—restricting access while threatening direct accountability for company executives—signals a tougher stance than many previous regulations, which focused mainly on platform rules and financial penalties.
The requirement for age verification also presents significant technical challenges for major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, which have struggled to effectively prevent underage users despite existing age policies.
Technology firms will now be required to design reliable age-check systems that verify users’ ages without breaching privacy, a challenge that has proven difficult in other regions with similar regulations.