Spain has announced plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez shared the news during a speech in Dubai, saying it was time to better protect young people from harmful content online.
The proposed law would make social media companies check users’ ages more strictly. It would also hold company bosses responsible if dangerous or illegal content is found on their platforms. The law still needs to be approved by Spain’s parliament.
Spain’s decision follows similar moves by other countries. Australia became the first country to bring in a ban for under-16s in 2025. Since then, the UK has been looking at a possible ban, and countries like France, Denmark, Greece, and Malaysia are also considering their own rules.
Prime Minister Sánchez said that children are now entering online spaces they are not ready for, and that stronger action is needed to protect them. He hopes the new law will pass as early as next week, but it could be difficult because his government does not have a majority in parliament.
Some social media companies argue that bans like this would be hard to enforce, but supporters say they are necessary to keep children safe. If passed, Spain would become one of the leading countries in Europe to take strong action on this issue.
