KUALA LUMPUR – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez unveiled plans on Tuesday to prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms as part of a broader effort to increase regulation, according to Anadolu Ajansi.
“We will protect them from the wild west of the digital world,” Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, as reported by news agencies.
“Social networks have become a failed state, where laws are ignored and crimes are tolerated.”
Under the new proposal, platforms will be required to implement age-verification systems to ensure compliance.
The Prime Minister also revealed that a bill will be introduced next week to hold the executives of digital platforms criminally responsible for the distribution of illegal content. He called on prosecutors to actively investigate such content on social media.
Additionally, Sánchez announced plans to criminalise the manipulation of algorithms, adding, “Disinformation does not come out of nowhere.”
The Prime Minister cited disturbing examples of illegal activities, including claims that child pornography was produced with the help of the artificial intelligence tool Grok, and its dissemination across social media platforms. He also referenced misinformation spread by Elon Musk, CEO of X, regarding Spain’s proposal to regularise approximately 500,000 migrants.
“This is only the tip of the iceberg,” Sánchez warned. “We are going to defend our digital sovereignty against any foreign interference.”
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Sánchez stated that making platforms safer would not be an easy task. “Social media companies are richer than many countries, including mine, but their power and influence should not frighten us,” he remarked.
While the European Union is already taking steps to restrict social media platforms, Sánchez noted that a group of six European countries will soon meet to discuss further measures.
Sánchez concluded, “Some will say that if we don’t like them, we can just not use them. They’re right. For many of us, that is still an option, but for our children and many citizens, it isn’t. Social media has become an essential part of their lives. We have to regain control. We need to ensure these platforms follow the rules like everyone else.” – February 3, 2026