Greece May Be Next to Ban Social Media Use for Minors

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday plans to ban social media use by teenagers and enact a law that would hold network executives accountable for failing to curb illegal content such as hate speech. The move would make Spain the first European Union country to restrict social media use for minors, as a growing number of governments tighten rules to protect children online. Greece may be next.

Addressing the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday, Sánchez said enforcement must go beyond self-reported age checks. “Platforms must implement effective age-verification systems, not just checkboxes, but real barriers that work,” he said.

If Spain moves ahead with the decision, which media reports say will take effect in the coming period, it would be the first EU member state to impose nationwide age-based restrictions on social media use and the second country globally after Australia. Under the new framework, social media companies would be required to implement robust age-verification systems, while executives could face personal liability for non-compliance.