Spain is preparing to sharply tighten its grip on social media use by minors, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announcing plans to block access for children under 16 and compel platforms to introduce mandatory age-verification systems.
The announcement was made on Tuesday during Sánchez’s address at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where he framed the move as part of a broader global reckoning over how digital platforms affect young people.
Spain now joins a growing number of governments pushing back against what they see as unchecked online environments that place children at risk.
According to Sánchez, current social media spaces are fundamentally unsuitable for minors, exposing them to content and interactions designed for adults. He warned that children are spending hours online without adequate safeguards, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, harmful material, and abuse.
“Our children are being left alone in a digital space that was never built for them,” Sánchez told delegates. “That is something we are no longer willing to tolerate. The digital Wild West must end.”
Beyond restricting access for minors, the Spanish government is also planning a tougher legal approach toward tech companies themselves. Sánchez revealed that new legislation, expected to be introduced next week, would make senior social media executives personally accountable for illegal or hateful content hosted on their platforms.
The proposal marks a shift away from traditional fines, which governments argue large corporations often treat as routine operating costs.
Spain’s move follows a precedent set by Australia late last year, when it became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16. That decision has been closely watched across Europe, with the United Kingdom and France now considering similar measures amid growing public pressure to protect young users online.
The Australian ban reignited global debate over how to balance child safety with digital literacy, as studies continue to link excessive social media use among teenagers to anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and self-harm.
What sets Spain apart is its two-pronged strategy: cutting off access for minors while simultaneously threatening personal consequences for company leadership. Previous regulatory efforts have largely focused on platform guidelines or corporate penalties, rather than holding individuals at the top responsible.
Also Read: Veekee James Announces Pregnancy, Expects First Child With Husband Femi Atere
The new rules would also force major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat to overcome long-standing technical challenges around age verification. Accurately confirming users’ ages without violating privacy has proven difficult in other jurisdictions with similar laws.
As Spain prepares to move forward, the policy is expected to intensify global scrutiny of how social media companies operate—and how far governments are willing to go to protect children in the digital age.