Spain has announced plans to ban social media access for children under 16 years old. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, "We will protect them from the digital Wild West." The ban still needs approval from parliament. This move is part of wider changes including holding company bosses responsible for "illegal or harmful content" on their platforms. Platforms must have strong age verification systems, not just simple checkboxes. Sánchez warned against the dangers of social media, calling it a place of "addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence." He said, "We will no longer accept that. We will protect them." The new laws would also criminalise using algorithms to spread illegal content. Sánchez said, "Hiding behind code and claiming that technology is neutral is no longer acceptable." The government plans to track how platforms spread hate and division online. It also wants to investigate crimes linked to AI tools like Grok, TikTok, and Instagram. Internationally, Australia was the first country to ban social media for under-16s last year. France, Denmark, Austria, and the UK are also considering age limits. The ban could face challenges in Spain's parliament as Sánchez's coalition lacks a majority. Spain’s main opposition, the conservative People's Party, supports the plan, while the far-right Vox party opposes it. Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), called Sánchez a "tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain" in reaction to the announcement. France’s President Emmanuel Macron wants a similar ban for under-15s from September. Spain hopes to pass its laws next week but faces tough debates ahead.