Spain will ban access to social media for children under 16, says prime minister

Teenager using cell phone Liam Shaw/Unsplash Spain plans to ban access to social media for people under 16 and platforms will be forced to implement age verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said this Tuesday (3). The prime minister spoke about the ban on networks for teenagers when announcing several measures that aim to guarantee a safe digital environment. Sánchez’s government has repeatedly complained about the proliferation of hate speech, pornographic content and misinformation on social media, saying this has negative effects on young people. “Our children are exposed to a space they should never navigate alone. We will no longer accept this,” Sánchez said when speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai. He also called on other European countries to implement similar measures. “We will protect them from the digital Wild West,” Sánchez added. In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for under-16s. The decision is being closely monitored by other countries considering similar measures, such as the United Kingdom and France. European coalition Sánchez said Spain has joined five other European countries, which he dubbed the “Coalition of the Digitally Willing,” to coordinate and enforce regulations that reach across borders. The coalition will hold its first meeting in the coming days, according to him. Sánchez did not reveal which countries are part of the group, and his office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. “We know that this is a battle that far exceeds the borders of any country,” declared the prime minister. Accountability of networks According to the prime minister, Spain will also present a bill next week to hold social media executives responsible for illegal and hateful content, in addition to criminalizing algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content. Among the measures Sánchez proposed is a system to track online hate speech. Platforms would also be required to introduce efficient age verification systems, the prime minister said. He added that prosecutors will seek to investigate possible legal infringements by tools such as Elon Musk’s Grok and social networks such as TikTok and Instagram.

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