Spain has announced a sweeping ban on social media access for children under 16, requiring platforms to install age verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez revealed at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
Sánchez described the move as a direct response to the dangers of uncontrolled digital spaces where children spend hours without adequate protection.
“Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone… We will no longer accept that. We will protect them from the digital Wild West,” he said.
The Prime Minister disclosed that his government will introduce legislation next week holding social media executives personally accountable for illegal and hateful content on their platforms.
Unlike previous regulatory efforts that imposed fines absorbed as business costs, Spain’s approach will target company leadership directly.
Spain’s decision follows Australia, which in December 2025 became the first country to ban social media for children under 16.
Britain and France are now weighing similar restrictions as governments respond to research linking heavy social media use among teenagers to anxiety, depression, self-harm, and cyberbullying.
Spain’s twin strategy—blocking access and threatening executive accountability—marks a tougher stance than most previous efforts.
Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat will now face the challenge of developing robust age verification systems that can accurately screen users without compromising privacy.
These companies have long struggled to keep underage users off their services despite official policies.
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