In today’s time, social media has become an important part of our lives. Internet and social media platforms are being used in almost all the countries of the world. As much as social media is beneficial for people, it can also be equally harmful. Due to this, governments like Australia, France and Denmark have imposed strict restrictions on social media for children. After these countries, Spain and Greece are also preparing to ban the use of social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook and Instagram for children below 16 years of age.
What did the Prime Minister of Spain say on social media?
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Tuesday (3 February 2026) that it is very important to ban social media for children under the age of 16 in the country.
He stressed that this step is being taken with the aim of safeguarding the secure future of the youth and their mental and physical health.
The Prime Minister further said that young children often become victims of the negative effects of social media, which has a negative impact on their future.
What did the Prime Minister say about the content?
During a summit held in the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Sanchez expressed deep concern over the widespread presence of illegal and objectionable content such as child sexual exploitation and deepfakes on social media platforms. He raised tough questions on these digital threats and stressed the need to hold the technology companies accountable and keep the youth safe from this ‘digital wild west’.
Government will force ‘age verification system’
He made it clear that governments will no longer be able to ignore this serious issue. This restriction will not be just nominal, but the government will force social media companies to adopt a strong ‘age verification system’.
Focus will have to be on solid technology
Companies will now have to move beyond mere formality ‘check boxes’ and focus on concrete technology that can actually prevent children from using these platforms. At present, the minimum age set on most of the apps is 13 years, but children easily create their accounts by entering their wrong age.