Spain is preparing to restrict social media access for teenagers under 16, as European governments increasingly clamp down on digital platforms, provoking sharp criticism from Elon Musk, reports Baltimore Chronicle via Guardian. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez outlined measures aimed at shielding minors from harmful content and holding tech companies accountable, citing the urgent need to curb what he described as the “digital wild west.”
Sánchez emphasized that social media has become a “failed state where laws are ignored and crimes are tolerated,” and singled out Musk for allegedly using his platform, X, to spread misinformation about Spain’s recent decision to regularize 500,000 undocumented workers and asylum seekers, highlighting that Musk himself was a migrant.
In response, Musk posted on X: “Dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain,” later intensifying his attack with: “Sánchez is the true fascist totalitarian.” Representatives from Google, TikTok, Snapchat, and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the proposed Spanish regulations.
Greece is reportedly preparing similar restrictions for children under 15, according to a senior government official. Spain and Greece would thus join countries including Britain, France, and Australia, the latter having banned social media access for children younger than 16 in December, as part of broader concerns about children’s screen time and mental wellbeing.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Sánchez stressed the risks children face online: “Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone … We will no longer accept that. We will protect them from the digital wild west.” Spain has joined a coalition of five European nations coordinating cross-border regulations, with their first meeting scheduled in the coming days.
Legislation in France to prohibit social media for under-15s is progressing in parliament, and Britain is considering comparable measures. Sánchez confirmed that Spain’s proposals would strengthen parental authority to impose limits and relieve social pressure on minors, according to Diana Diaz, director of the ANAR Foundation for at-risk children and adolescents.
The proliferation of AI-generated content, including controversies over Musk’s Grok AI producing non-consensual sexual images, some involving minors, has intensified debates over online risks. Prosecutors are exploring potential legal infractions involving Grok, TikTok, and Instagram, Sánchez said. The ban would amend the current digital protection bill for minors currently under parliamentary review.
An Ipsos poll published in August 2025 revealed that 82% of Spaniards supported banning children under 14 from social media, up from 73% in 2024, reflecting growing public concern over the impact of digital platforms on young people.
Earlier we wrote that Hundreds of Parents Demand Roblox Stop Secret Arbitration Amid Child Sexual Exploitation Lawsuits
