Spain to ban social media platforms for children under 16, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announces
EuroNews9 hrs
Spain to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16
Are social media bans protecting children from harmful content or enabling government control of online speech?
Above: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, UAE on Feb. 3. Image credit: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Tech giants have operated as unaccountable failed states for too long, allowing minors to access harmful content without consequence. The digital Wild West must face regulation just as 19th-century robber barons did, because platforms like X deliberately expose users to disturbing material to maximize engagement. The time to protect children from these reckless corporations is now.
Right narrative
Multiple governments simultaneously pushing identical social media bans reveal coordinated control rather than child protection. Requiring platforms to verify every user's age is but a veil for the forced identification of anyone posting opinions online. This sets the stage for jailing dissenters under the guise of protecting minors.