eSafety Commissioner

Rule Changes

Implementing world's first social media age ban

Spain became the first European country to announce a ban on social media for children under 16, joining Australia, France, and Denmark in a regulatory wave sweeping democracies worldwide. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez unveiled five measures at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on February 3, 2026, including mandatory age verification systems that go beyond simple checkboxes—and criminal liability for tech executives who fail to remove illegal content.

Updated Feb 5