Spanish PM announces new curbs on social media platforms

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a new package of measures aimed at tightening regulation of social media platforms and strengthening protections for minors, warning that digital spaces have increasingly become vehicles for crime, disinformation, and harmful content.

In a video message posted on February 6 on the US-based social media platform X, Sanchez described the moment as unprecedented for Spain’s democracy. He accused powerful technology figures of exerting undue influence over public discourse, saying that “a tech oligarch has infiltrated the phones of millions of Spanish citizens to tell them what to think.”

“This is a serious example of the abuses of interference that we are trying to combat,” Sanchez said, arguing that social media platforms now resemble “a kind of Wild West in a failed state.” He claimed that such platforms provide shelter for thousands of channels linked to criminal activity, including pornography and violence.

The prime minister also highlighted the growing misuse of artificial intelligence, accusing platforms of allowing AI tools to be used to generate fake nude images, including of minors, to surveil users, harvest personal data without consent, and profit by amplifying hate speech and disinformation.

According to Sanchez, the government has launched five measures designed “to protect minors and end impunity in digital environments.” These steps include coordinating with the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate crimes committed on social media, prosecuting the manipulation of algorithms that exploit personal data without authorisation, and pursuing criminal charges against companies that fail to remove illegal content.

Additional initiatives include the creation of what Sanchez described as “the first database of hate and polarisation” and plans to restrict access to social media platforms for users under the age of 16.

“We know that this tech elite has more money and even more power than many countries, but our determination is stronger than their pockets,” Sanchez said, adding that the government would press ahead “despite their threats.”

Spain’s move comes as a growing number of countries adopt stricter rules on minors’ access to social media.

Australia recently became the first country to enact legislation limiting teenagers’ access to social platforms, with the law taking effect on December 10. According to the country’s telecommunications safety regulator, 4.7 million user accounts have been removed since the law came into force. Under the Australian rules, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and streaming services such as Kick and Twitch are required to block access for users under 16.

In France, lawmakers passed legislation last week that would ban social media use for children under 15 and prohibit mobile phone use in schools. The bill has the support of President Emmanuel Macron, but still requires approval by the Senate to become law.

In the United Kingdom, the House of Lords has backed a similar proposal, though it must still pass the House of Commons before taking effect. Portugal is also weighing measures that would restrict social media access for teenagers under 16 unless parental consent is provided, while Greece is preparing to introduce a ban on social media use for children under 15 in the near future.

By Tamilla Hasanova