European nations are now gearing up to impose a total ban on social media for children, officials said, with European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, expressing support for an EU-wide age limit to be imposed on social media access.
The move, initiated by Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez on Friday, has encouraged other countries in the bloc to consider an Australia-style social media ban for children aged 15 and less.
Vowing to protect Spain’s children “from the digital Wild West”, the Spanish PM said, “Scrolling over harmful content, pornography, leads to exploitation and leaves unintended consequences on underage children.”
The Spanish Council of Ministers is expected to approve such measures for under-16s, and add the clause to a draft bill under discussion in Parliament.
Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone, a space of addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence,” Sánchez said, at the announcement of the draft bill.
Close on the heels of the Australia ban on social media access to children under 16 years of age, the French parliament had also passed a bill banning the use of such applications for children aged less than 15. The bill has now been sent to the upper house of Parliament for vote.
Most parents and experts support the ban, citing strong scientific research that suggests there are irreversible effects on the mental health of underage children who are exposed to the web.
Paul O. Richter, an affiliate fellow with Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, said the specific focus on minors is due to the increased risk of long-term harm, since they are still developing cognitively.
Other European countries considering a social media ban for children under 16 or 15 years of age include Denmark, which decided to protect children from online abuse by creating a stricter framework for its digital laws in 2025.
Italy is also said to be considering a ban on social media, including on child influencers, under the age of 15.
Other nations such as Portugal, Austria and the United Kingdom are working on the formulation of legal frameworks to protect young children from the hazardous impacts of social media, especially after the infamous “Epstein saga” created a massive storm in US and worldwide politics.
One of those offering resistance to such a move is Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, who labelled Spain’s prime minister “a tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain” earlier this week after he announced plans to ban social media for children.
