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Spain mulls protecting teens from 'digital Wild West'

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Sofia Christensen
February 4, 2026

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced plans to ban social media for youths under the age of 16, following in the footsteps of Australia. Elon Musk reacted to the plans with insults on his platform X.

Spain plans to ban social media for under‑16s, joining a growing push across Europe after Australia's crackdown. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has warned of online "addiction" and "manipulation," promising to hold tech executives accountable and investigate platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Elon Musk's Grok.

Reactions in Spain have been mixed, with teens wary and many adults supportive.

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