Spain is rushing forward: No social media for under 16s

Now rush too Spain before: Premier Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday at the World Government Summit in Dubai Five point package presented. The heart of the matter is a general social media ban for all teenagers under the age of 16. The aim is to “protect young people from the digital Wild West.” The legal basis is intended to be provided by a bill on the digital protection of minors that has already been discussed in parliament in Madrid. Government sources say a technical instrument will be ready for use before the end of the year The Country.

Technical implementation

However, the matter is tricky: what is needed is a system “that enables age verification but at the same time guarantees anonymity,” says the digital expert Paloma Llaneza im Science Media Centre explained. A solution is planned that simply confirms whether someone is over an age limit without revealing any further personal information (name, etc.) – e.g. b. via QR-Code.

The app should make this possible „Beta Digital Wallet“, which is part of an EU pilot project digital wallet is. The underlying “Zero Knowledge Proof” technology means “that a third party confirms that you are of legal age and the whole system works in such a way that you can trust this information. This can work in Spain, as minors also have an ID card,” explains Llaneza.

In addition to the age limit, Sánchez is still pending four further measures for the digital space In the future, managers should be able to be prosecuted for violations on their platforms. Furthermore, “algorithmic manipulation” should become a punishable offense and a “hate and polarization footprint” should make the dark side of social networks measurable. He still left it open how this would work.

In addition, the public prosecutor’s office will examine whether there were any legal violations on the Grok, Tiktok and Instagram platforms, said Sánchez, who then promptly expressed his anger Elon Musk felt. “Dirty Sánchez is a tyrant and traitor to the Spanish people,” he shot on his Platform X in the direction of the Iberian Peninsula.

A lot of support from the population

In his own country, however, Sánchez is certain of support: According to an Ipsos survey from August, 82 percent support a social media ban for under-14s. Those too conservative People’s Party (PP) supports higher age limits; Criticism only comes from the far right: VoxSpokeswoman Pepa Millan described the plans as “censorship”.

In the neighboring one Portugal The topic is also omnipresent: a complete social media ban for under-13s has been discussed in the Lisbon parliament since Monday. For 13 to 16 year olds, the parents should decide.