Sánchez announces he will ban social media for those under 16, and Musk accuses him of being a "tyrant" and a "traitor"

MadridThe Spanish government has long aimed to strengthen the regulation of major digital platforms and guarantee a safe digital environment, especially for minors. This Tuesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his intention to prohibit access to social media for those under 16 in Spain. The announcement is part of a package of five legislative measures that Sánchez outlined during a speech at the World Governments Summit, which is bringing together various heads of state in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, starting this Tuesday. With this proposal, the Spanish government wants to curb the "abuses" of large platforms and guarantee a digital environment that is "safe, democratic, and respectful of fundamental rights." In addition to the ban on those under 16, the Spanish government also wants to require platforms to implement "effective age verification systems" that go beyond simple formal declarations and guarantee real and effective barriers, according to the executive branch. X owner Elon Musk was quick to react to Pedro Sánchez's announcement: "Dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain," he tweeted.

With this announcement, Sánchez is keeping pace with the tech giants. He had already responded to Elon Musk earlier this week.After his criticism of the regularization of migrants in Spain, he also has an open dispute with Meta, Mark Zuckerberg's company, against which Sánchez has launched an investigation for alleged violations of user privacy. The Spanish Prime Minister has long used the term "tech elite" to refer to the sector and its executives and has spearheaded the fight in the European Union to "stand up to," as he has said, practices he considers "abusive."

Open debate

The "express ban" would be added to the law protecting minors in digital environments, which is currently being processed in Congress and already proposes raising the minimum age for registering on social media to 16. "We will work to reach an agreement with all parties," stated Spanish government spokesperson Elma Saiz at a press conference this Tuesday. It's worth noting, for example, that social media is the primary source of information for young people under 30, according to the latest survey by the Institute of Political and Social Sciences (ICPS), published this Tuesday. Specifically, the percentage ranges between 60% and over 70%. Limiting access to social media is a debate that has been ongoing in Europe for some time. France, for example, wants to prohibit those under 15 from accessing these digital platforms. The Portuguese Parliament, for its part, has a bill on the table to ban the use of these spaces by children under 13 and require parental permission for young people between 13 and 16 years old. Countries like Australia have also announced laws to move in that direction.

A few months ago, during the presentation of a pioneering report in the State on How do children and teenagers use mobile phones? And regarding the digital environment, Sánchez has already criticized the major tech companies for their inaction in the face of crimes like cyberbullying. According to the study, eight out of ten fifth-grade students say they already use social media, and in the case of young people between 10 and 20 years old, it's almost all of them (92.5%). "We cannot simply accept that they [children and young people] are digital natives and stand idly by. [...] We must ensure that they grow up healthy and protected," Sánchez argued at the time, appealing to the role of the government, schools, and families to prevent the digital environment from becoming a "jungle" for young people.

But what is the capacity of these countries to influence the large corporations behind social media? “Most interactions [with these companies] take place through European institutions [...], which are corporations that don't operate in a single state, but rather on a European scale,” Joan Calzada, a professor at the UB School of Economics, explained to ARA in late 2025, amidst Pedro Sánchez's standoff with the tech giants. The expert argues that Europe has been a “pioneer” in their regulation, which is why member states tend to adopt European legislation, which has become increasingly stringent over time, both to prevent a monopoly by these tech companies—that is, to prevent an abuse of dominant position—and to control their content.

The latest example is the technology legislation that came into force just over a year ago, the AI ​​Act, which, among other things, aimed to combat disinformation. However, due to pressure from Trump and American tech companies, expectations have ultimately been dashed. In Spain, the Competition Authority imposed a €194 million fine on Amazon and Apple for restricting competition. "If stricter measures are adopted, it's an issue that will be resolved at the European level, where it's true that progress is more difficult to achieve, but [a member state] can generate a social debate around it and about the need to increase its surveillance," Calzada explains.

Four more measures

In addition to tightening access to social media, the Spanish government wants to implement four other measures. Firstly, it wants to criminalize the manipulation of algorithms that facilitates the deliberate amplification of illegal content and the alteration of the functioning of automated data processing systems. This measure would be implemented through a draft organic law, which would therefore have to be processed in Congress. Secondly, the government wants to end the "impunity" of platform executives so that they are "criminally liable" for infractions committed in the digital spaces they own. This, which entails a reform of the Penal Code and therefore requires congressional approval, means that top executives of technology companies "may be held criminally liable for deliberate inaction in the face of illicit practices."

Finally, the other two measures are: creating a tracking, quantification, and traceability system that allows for establishing a "hate and polarization footprint," and working with the Public Prosecutor's Office to explore "ways to investigate legal infractions by Google, TikTok, and Instagram."

During his speech, Sánchez also announced that Spain has joined five European countries to form a coalition to "move forward in a coordinated and effective manner internationally in implementing stricter, faster, and more effective regulations for social media platforms."

Families support the measures

The ban on social media access for minors under 16 is a measure championed by platforms like Mobile-Free Adolescence (ALM), a group of families in Poblenou concerned about children's and teenagers' access to mobile phones. The movement applauds the announcement, as explained by ALM Vice President Xavier Casanovas. "We are fully in favor of this proposal and will be vigilant to ensure its proper implementation," Casanovas states.

The group had already submitted amendments to the new organic law on the protection of minors in digital environments regarding the announced ban, but especially concerning the requirement that it be accompanied by age verification. "For us, it is crystal clear that there must be a technological proposal for age verification measures, as well as criminal penalties for technology companies that fail to comply," the ALM Vice President points out. Casanovas points out that proposing a minimum age for access is not a prohibition against minors, but against the platforms: "It's about prohibiting tech companies from keeping their data, from directing advertising or content inappropriate for their age." He adds that the movement will be monitoring the effectiveness of the measures and will continue to support the cultural shift. "We have a lot of educational work to do to keep reminding people what healthy use of digital technology means for the appropriate age," emphasizes the vice president of ALM.