Spain announces under-16 social media ban with mandatory age verification

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on February 3, 2026, that the government would introduce legislation banning social media access for children under 16 and requiring platforms to implement mandatory age verification. The bill would hold social media executives criminally accountable for algorithm manipulation targeting minors. As of the announcement the legislation required passage through Congress and Senate, with a likely timeline of late 2026 to 2027. Spain became the first EU member state to formally introduce such a ban, following Australia's December 2025 law.