Spain Bans Social Media Access for Under-16s and Tightens Platform Regulations
Spain announces a ban on social media access for minors under 16 and strengthens platform regulations amid growing concerns over digital safety and misinformation.
- • Spain bans social media access for individuals under 16 years old.
- • Five legislative measures targeting social media platform accountability and safety will be introduced.
- • Social media executives will face legal responsibility for illegal content on their platforms.
- • Spain collaborates with five European countries to enforce stricter social media regulations.
Key details
On February 3, 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced at the World Government Summit in Dubai that Spain will prohibit access to social media for minors under 16 years old as part of a broader package of legislative reforms targeting digital platforms. The measures aim to protect minors from the risks posed by social media, which Sánchez described as a "wild west" rife with misinformation, addiction, and harmful content.
The government plans to introduce five key legislative measures, including mandatory age verification systems and holding social media executives legally accountable for illegal content hosted on their platforms. Criminalization of algorithm manipulation and amplification of illegal content will be enforced, with ongoing investigations targeting platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Grok.
To combat online hate speech and polarization, Spain will establish a new system to track and quantify such harmful interactions. Moreover, Spain has joined a coalition called the "Coalition of the Digital Willing," comprised of five other European countries, to pursue a coordinated and stricter regulatory approach to social media governance.
Despite the decisive nature of these reforms, some experts voice concerns about the evidence base for the age restriction. Critics note that the arbitrary age limit of 16 lacks strong scientific consensus over social media's mental health impacts on adolescents, and argue that academic pressure may have a greater influence than social media use. There are worries that such restrictions may inadvertently harm marginalized groups like sexual minorities and people with disabilities who rely on social media for support.
Nevertheless, Sánchez emphasized the urgent need to regain control over social media platforms, which currently operate with impunity and disregard legal frameworks, describing their digital spaces as a "failed state". The Spanish government seeks to ensure compliance from these influential companies despite their wealth and power.
These regulatory efforts form part of broader digital governance reforms designed to foster safer and more accountable online environments, signaling Spain's leadership stance on social media regulation within Europe and globally.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
Source articles (4)
Source comparison
Coalition name
Sources report different names for the coalition of European countries.
dw.com
"Spain has joined a coalition with five other European countries, named the 'Coalition of the Digital Willing'."
lamoncloa.gob.es
"Spain is joining forces with five other European nations to create a 'Coalition of the Willing'."
Why this matters: One source refers to the coalition as the 'Coalition of the Digital Willing' while another calls it the 'Coalition of the Willing'. This difference could lead to confusion about the coalition's identity.