'No More Pretending That Technology Is Neutral': Spain PM Looks To Ban Social Media For Under-16s

Last Updated:February 04, 2026, 08:13 IST

Spain and Greece are moving toward banning teenagers from social media, with Pedro Sánchez unveiling plans to bar under-16s and impose tougher legal accountability.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a media conference (Photo: AP)

Spain is preparing to clamp down on teenagers’ use of social media as European governments harden their stance toward digital platforms.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that his government plans to ban access to social media for children under 16, describing the move as necessary to protect young people from harmful online content.

Speaking at a summit in Dubai, the Spanish leader criticised major technology companies for allowing illegal material, including child sexual abuse imagery and manipulated deepfake content, to circulate widely.

“Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone," Sánchez said.

“We will no longer accept that," he added.

He said that Spain would require platforms to enforce the restriction with tougher age-verification systems, stressing they must be “not just check boxes, but real barriers that work."

Beyond age limits, Sánchez outlined a sweeping regulatory push that would tighten legal obligations for technology firms.

He said Spain would “change the law to hold platform executives legally accountable for many infringements taking place on their sites," and make it a criminal offence to manipulate algorithms to amplify illegal content.

“No more pretending that technology is neutral," Sánchez said.

The Prime Minister also announced plans for what he called a “hate and polarisation footprint system" to measure how platforms fuel division, and said his government would work with public prosecutors to pursue alleged violations involving certain digital services.

ELON MUSK REACTS

Sánchez’s announcement, however, provoked a response from Elon Musk, the owner of X.

Posting on the platform, Musk wrote, “Dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain."

Roughly 90 minutes later, he escalated the attack, adding, “Sánchez is the true fascist totalitarian."

OTHER COUNTRIES PLANNING SUCH BANS

According to the Associated Press, government officials cautioned that several of the proposals would still need parliamentary approval, and it remains uncertain whether Sánchez’s left-wing coalition can secure enough votes.

Opposition parties have already begun staking out positions. A far-right spokesperson accused the government of trying to suppress criticism, while the main centre-right party said it had floated similar restrictions previously.

The report noted that France has approved a ban for under-15s set to take effect next school year, while Australia has begun rolling out a nationwide prohibition for under-16s.

Denmark and the United Kingdom are also weighing or implementing similar steps.

In parallel, Greece is close to unveiling its own restrictions.

Reuters reported that a senior government source said Athens is “very close" to announcing a ban on social media use for children under 15.

News world 'No More Pretending That Technology Is Neutral': Spain PM Looks To Ban Social Media For Under-16s

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