Spain to Ban Social Media Use for Children Under 16, Citing Rising Risks

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced that his government will ban the use of social media for children under the age of 16. Additionally, he stated that regulations will be tightened on platforms that spread illegal or hateful content or use algorithms to promote such material. Addressing the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sánchez explained that the objective of these measures is to protect minors from the growing risks associated with digital platforms. He noted that these platforms are becoming increasingly unsafe for young users. The Spanish government plans to introduce a new bill next week to strengthen the legal liability of social media companies. According to Sánchez, this may include assigning liability to senior officials who fail to remove illegal content. He urged technology companies to be more accountable, stating that the government can no longer ignore the abuse occurring on social media platforms. Spain also announced it will develop new mechanisms to monitor the spread of hateful and polarizing content online and improve accountability. Clarifying the proposed ban for those under 16, Sánchez cited the increasing risk of online addiction, abuse, manipulation, and exposure to violent or explicit content among children. He informed that the government will introduce effective mechanisms to strictly enforce the age restriction.

News material prepared by News Agency Nepal with the support of Xinhua.