Madrid: Spain has announced plans to prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media, aligning with a growing trend among European countries to enhance online protections for minors. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed this initiative at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, emphasizing the need to protect children from what he described as the ‘digital Wild West.’
According to United News of Bangladesh, the proposed ban is part of a comprehensive package of digital reforms that requires parliamentary approval. These reforms aim to hold senior executives of social media companies legally accountable for illegal or harmful content shared on their platforms. Australia pioneered such a ban last year, and its impact is being closely monitored by several other nations. France, Denmark, and Austria have expressed interest in similar age restrictions, while the UK government has initiated a consultation on whether to impose social media limitations for those under 16.
Prime Minister Sánchez highli
ghted the dangers that social media poses to children, including exposure to addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation, and violence. He argued that young users are navigating spaces they are ill-prepared to handle without adequate supervision. The proposed Spanish law would require platforms to implement robust age verification systems, moving beyond simple checkboxes. The legislation also seeks to criminalize the manipulation of algorithms for promoting illegal content and disinformation for profit.
Sánchez asserted that the government would no longer accept claims of technology’s neutrality, emphasizing that platforms and individuals responsible for harmful content would be subject to investigation. A new system is proposed to monitor how digital platforms contribute to hate and social division, though specific details were not disclosed.
In addition to these measures, Spain plans to investigate and prosecute crimes linked to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Grok, the AI tool associated with X. Th
e European Commission and the UK have already commenced investigations into Grok, while French authorities recently conducted a raid on X’s offices as part of a cybercrime investigation.
Despite the ambitious nature of the proposed legislation, its passage may face challenges as Sánchez’s left-wing coalition does not hold a parliamentary majority. However, the main opposition People’s Party has expressed its support for the initiative, while the far-right Vox party opposes the move.
Elon Musk, owner of X, reacted to the announcement by criticizing Sánchez, labeling him a ‘tyrant and traitor.’ Meanwhile, France is continuing its push for stricter regulations, with President Emmanuel Macron aiming to prohibit social media for individuals under 15 by the start of the next school year in September.