Spain is cracking down on social media giants, and it's not just a minor issue. The country's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has taken aim at these powerful tech companies, calling them "the Wild West" that are putting children in harm's way.
Sanchez announced plans to ban social media for under-16s, with the goal of protecting kids from the toxic online environment they're exposed to without proper guidance. The move is part of a broader effort to hold social media executives accountable for the content on their platforms, including hate speech and violent material.
The tech giants are fighting back, with X owner Elon Musk calling Sanchez a "true fascist totalitarian" over the proposed measures. Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, accused Sanchez's government of pushing "dangerous new regulations that threaten your internet freedoms."
Musk has been accused of using his platform to spread hate speech and misinformation, including promoting far-right ideology in Europe. The European Commission is investigating him over this, as well as other issues.
But the issue isn't just about individual companies; it's about the broader problem of social media's impact on children. AI-generated content, deepfakes, and online child exploitation are all major concerns that experts say need to be addressed.
In fact, several countries have already banned or restricted social media for minors, including Australia, which became the first country to do so in December 2025. France has a law requiring parental consent for under-15s to open social media accounts, but enforcement has been hampered by technical issues.
Denmark is also introducing a ban on social media platforms for children under 15, and Malaysia will be doing the same starting from next year. The UK's prime minister has announced that his country is considering a similar ban, with Greece set to follow suit.
So what's at stake here? The battle over social media's impact on children is about more than just regulating online content; it's about protecting young people from harm and ensuring they have the tools to navigate the digital world safely.
Sanchez announced plans to ban social media for under-16s, with the goal of protecting kids from the toxic online environment they're exposed to without proper guidance. The move is part of a broader effort to hold social media executives accountable for the content on their platforms, including hate speech and violent material.
The tech giants are fighting back, with X owner Elon Musk calling Sanchez a "true fascist totalitarian" over the proposed measures. Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, accused Sanchez's government of pushing "dangerous new regulations that threaten your internet freedoms."
Musk has been accused of using his platform to spread hate speech and misinformation, including promoting far-right ideology in Europe. The European Commission is investigating him over this, as well as other issues.
But the issue isn't just about individual companies; it's about the broader problem of social media's impact on children. AI-generated content, deepfakes, and online child exploitation are all major concerns that experts say need to be addressed.
In fact, several countries have already banned or restricted social media for minors, including Australia, which became the first country to do so in December 2025. France has a law requiring parental consent for under-15s to open social media accounts, but enforcement has been hampered by technical issues.
Denmark is also introducing a ban on social media platforms for children under 15, and Malaysia will be doing the same starting from next year. The UK's prime minister has announced that his country is considering a similar ban, with Greece set to follow suit.
So what's at stake here? The battle over social media's impact on children is about more than just regulating online content; it's about protecting young people from harm and ensuring they have the tools to navigate the digital world safely.
. It's crazy how these big tech companies can just let kids be exposed to hate speech and all that toxic stuff without any oversight. AI-generated content, deepfakes... it's like, what's next? 
They need to take responsibility for their platforms, especially when it comes to our kids.
. I mean, have you seen some of the stuff that goes viral on those platforms? It's wild 
. And yeah, maybe some companies are going to fight back, but what's the harm in taking steps to protect our kids? 
. I think banning them under 16 might be too harsh, though - what about the responsibility that comes with being online? Shouldn't parents or educators at least have a say in how their kids use these platforms? 
Not sure if X's toxic vibe has anything to do with this whole thing...
... kids these days are growing up in a whole different world, and we gotta make sure they're protected from all the toxicity out there 
... it's not just about regulating social media, it's about creating a safe space for them to express themselves without getting hurt by hate speech or misinformation 
... and yeah, i can see why Pedro Sanchez is taking action, but at the same time, we gotta be careful not to stifle their freedom of expression 
. As much as we love our social media freedoms, we gotta remember that there are consequences to our online actions 
. Kids these days are growing up with some crazy stuff being fed to them online and it's not healthy 
.
. It's time they took responsibility for creating an environment that's safe for our kids 
, but let's not forget he's also got a huge platform and is spreading some pretty questionable stuff.
. We can't just sit back and let tech companies dictate what our kids are exposed to 
.
. Our kids' safety is worth fighting for 
!
they're basically saying its time to hold the execs accountable for the hate speech, violent content, & deepfakes that are ruining lives 
he thinks he's above all this & yet he's being investigated by the European Commission over spreading hate speech & misinformation 
. It's crazy how these big tech companies think they're above the law, but we can't just sit back and let our kids get hurt online 
. The fact that other countries are already taking steps to protect their young people is a good sign 
.
. It's time for them to take responsibility for what they're allowing on their sites.
. He can't just use his platform to spread hate speech and misinformation, then act like he's being persecuted when someone calls him out 
. This is about accountability, period