Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a sweeping initiative aimed at creating a “safe digital environment.” The main point of the new strategy will be a complete ban on minors under 16 accessing social media. This is reported by Reuters.
Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sanchez compared the current state of the Internet to anarchy. According to him, the government can no longer ignore the spread of hate speech, pornography, and disinformation that are destroying the psyche of young people.
Platforms will be required to implement strict age verification systems for users. Next week, the government will present a bill that would make top managers of social networks personally liable for illegal content.
For the first time, it is planned to introduce criminal liability for the manipulation of algorithms that deliberately promote illegal content. Prosecutors are already examining platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok for possible violations.
Spain has joined a group of countries that are radically restricting social media’s influence on children. Australia in December became the first country in the world to officially ban social media for those under 16. The UK and France are currently considering similar measures.