Spain plans to ban access to social media for teenagers under the age of 16 and will require platforms to implement age-verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday.

The announcement came as Sanchez outlined a series of measures aimed at creating what he described as a safer digital environment for young people.

Government Rationale

Sanchez said his left-wing coalition government has raised concerns about the spread of hate speech, pornographic material, and disinformation on social media platforms and their effects on minors.

Addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sanchez said children are being exposed to online spaces without adequate protection and urged other European countries to adopt similar policies.

Sanchez referenced Australia, which in December became the first country to ban social media access for children under 16. He said the move is being closely watched by other governments, including those in Britain and France, that are considering comparable measures.

European Coalition

Sanchez said Spain has joined five other European countries in what he called the “Coalition of the Digitally Willing,” a group intended to coordinate and enforce cross-border regulation of digital platforms.

He said the coalition is scheduled to hold its first meeting in the coming days, though he did not identify the other member countries. His office did not immediately respond to requests for further details.

Legislative Measures

Spain plans to introduce a bill next week to hold social media executives accountable for illegal and hate-speech content. The legislation would also seek to criminalize algorithmic manipulation and the amplification of illegal material.

Sanchez said platforms would be required to implement age-verification systems that go beyond simple checkboxes, and the government would initiate the legislative process as early as next week.

Legal Reviews

Sanchez added that prosecutors will explore potential legal infractions involving Elon Musk’s Grok, as well as TikTok and Instagram, which Meta operates.

He said the government views the issue as one that extends beyond national borders and requires coordinated international action.