During the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez announced a social media ban under 16, accusing platforms of failing to protect children.
The proposal triggered fierce attacks from X owner, Elon Musk, and Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, across their own platforms.
Spain is not all about digital platforms designed to keep young users hooked, and it’s not the first country to follow this path. Governments across Europe now argue that the same systems that drive growth also spread harm, pushing more leaders to say social media should be banned for children.
Who Controls the Internet?
Sánchez compared social media to a failed state because laws are not respected, and crimes are tolerated. His plan would update Spain’s digital protection law and introduce a social media ban for minors, while also pushing prosecutors to examine platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Musk’s Grok AI chatbot.
The rise of AI tools has made online risks harder to control. Algorithms decide what children see, provoking censored content because it keeps users online longer. This has led some policymakers in countries with social media bans to argue that safety tools built into platforms are not enough.
The recent outcry over Musk’s Grok AI chatbot, which generated non-consensual sexual images including minors, showed how fast these systems can cause harm when safety controls fail and why social media should be banned.
“Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone … We will no longer accept that,” Sanchez said at the World Governments Summit.
His government wants tech leaders to “face criminal liability” if they do not remove illegal or hateful content. He threatened Big Tech companies, by claiming that this would shift responsibility away from users and toward the companies that build and run the platforms.
Should Social Media Be Banned in All Countries?
Elon Musk and Pavel Durov both attacked the social media ban under 16 proposal. Durov warned that banning social media could turn Spain into a “surveillance state,” while Musk called Sánchez a “dirty tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain.”
Spanish officials provide a different argument, that banned social media is already being shaped by private tech firms, not by voters or lawmakers. They say Durov used his “unrestricted control” of Telegram to send “lies and illegitimate attacks” to users, proving why stronger rules are needed.
“Let the techno-oligarchs bark, Sancho, it’s a sign that we are riding,” Sanchez wrote.
Across Europe, countries with social media bans or age limits are growing. France, Greece, and Denmark are moving toward similar rules, while Australia already has a ban on social media under 16.
Supporters say this kind of social media ban gives parents power and reduces pressure on children to stay online. With AI now shaping what young people see, many leaders argue social media should be banned until platforms prove they can be made safe.
Spain’s social media ban under 16 could become a stereotype for banning social media for under 16 and may soon decide whether the next generation grows up online or protected from it.
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