Spain looks to move forward with a ban that will prevent children under-16 from accessing social media as governments across Europe toughen their stance on online safety. A move that will likely step up the pressure on platforms to introduce robust age verification and hold executives accountable for illegal content.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned social media had become a “digital wild west” run by companies “wealthier and more powerful than many nations, including mine”. He added: “Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone. A space of addiction, abuse, violence, pornography, manipulation, and more violence.”
Sanchez said Spain would require platforms to deploy stronger age verification systems, insisting the checks must be “not just check boxes, but real barriers that work”. He also declared a tougher hand on tech leadership, stating “the CEOs of tech platforms will face criminal charges for failing to remove illegal or hate-inciting content”.
In addition, the government plans to introduce legislation to criminalise the manipulation of algorithms that amplify illegal material.
Sanchez added prosecutors would work with the government to investigate potential violations by X’s Grok, TikTok and Instagram, framing the effort as part of a broader push to defend Spain’s digital sovereignty.
Cross-border momentum
Spain has joined what Sanchez called a “Coalition of the Digitally Willing” to coordinate cross-border regulation across Europe, stating “this is a battle that far exceeds the boundaries of any country.” Sanchez added Spain would begin the legislative process next week, signalling a rapid approach as debate over online child safety intensifies across the world.
A senior government source told Reuters on the 3rd February that Greece is also moving closer to announcing a ban on social media access for children under-15. Last week, French lawmakers voted to ban social media use by users under the age of 15 as the country plans to implement age verification by the start of the next school year.
Australia became the first country to prohibit under-16s from holding accounts on selected social media apps in December 2025. Since, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said she is closely observing Australia’s ban to assess potential EU-wide action.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Stock Image
