Spain to ban social Media for underage
Citing worries about internet safety and hazardous digital information, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, that his government intends to prohibit minors under 16 from using social media sites, according to Politico.
Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sanchez stated that in order to enforce the limitation, social media companies would need to have strong age-verification procedures.
According to Politico, he stated, “Platforms will be required to implement effective age verification systems—not just check boxes, but real barriers that work.” He also mentioned that children are already exposed to a digital environment that they are not supposed to “navigate alone.”
The proposed move, which would modify a draft bill presently being discussed in parliament, is anticipated to be adopted by Spain’s Council of Ministers next week.
According to Politico, the amended proposal would specifically forbid minors from registering on social media platforms, even while the current regulation aims to restrict access to these platforms to individuals who are 16 years of age and older.
Spain’s action is part of a larger European movement to strengthen laws governing children’s internet usage.
Denmark has revealed intentions to prohibit children under the age of 15 from using social media, while France is attempting to impose similar limitations, according to Politico.
A proposed law in Portugal would prohibit adolescents under the age of sixteen from using social media sites without their parents’ permission.
According to Sanchez, the prohibition is a component of a larger set of digital changes meant to “regain control” of online environments.
According to Politico, these include plans to criminalize the manipulation of algorithms that amplify illegal content, introduce tools to track the spread of hate speech, disinformation, and child exploitation content, and hold social media executives legally responsible for content hosted on their platforms.
According to Politico, Sanchez stated, “We will investigate platforms whose algorithms amplify disinformation in exchange for profit,” emphasizing that there must be ethical, legal, and financial repercussions for disseminating hate online.
Platforms are already obligated to reduce the risks associated with harmful online content under the Digital Services Act (DSA) of the European Union. In response to Sanchez’s declaration, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier stated that the Commission’s mandate includes enforcement proceedings against major platforms and that the Commission works closely with EU member states to ensure child protection online.
According to Politico, the European Commission fined social media company X EUR 120 million in December for not adhering to transparency regulations, and inquiries into how it handles illicit content and misinformation are still ongoing.
(input form ANI)
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
Tweets @ZiyaIbnHameed
Motorola Razr 70 series has received UAE regulatory approval, hinting at an imminent global launch,…
Anurag Kashyap’s name appears in Epstein emails as a “Bollywood guy”, but no proof links…
Afghanistan’s 17-year-old batting sensation Faisal Shinozada announced himself at the U19 World Cup with back-to-back…
