On February 4, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced he would propose legislation to ban social media use by those under the age of 16. The day after, the Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, expressed her support for such a ban and added that “the next battle must be oriented to limit and surely ban Twitter”.
But what do Spaniards think of potential restrictions on social media use?
Brussels Signal found a mix of opinions among a small survey of Spaniards.
Lina Gonzalez, a mother and doctor, strongly supports a youth ban on social media. She told Brussels Signal she had managed to keep her son off social media until he was 15.
She did not want to let him get on such platforms even at that age but he had become so socially isolated that she felt she had no other choice. While he is now included in the plans his friends make on Instagram, she said she has noted several negative effects of social media use on her son.
She told Brussels Signal that if she had been able to keep him off social media for another year, that would have avoided some of the problems.
Robert Martinez, a father, teacher, and cyber security professional, told Brussels Signal that, in fact, Spanish law already prohibits the use of social media by youth under the age of 14, although it is flagrantly disobeyed.
Nevertheless, he also cited statistics that 35 per cent of 8-year-olds have social media accounts, 65 per cent of 11 year olds, 78 per cent of 12 and 13 year olds, and 85 per centt of 14 year olds. He said either parents offer the excuse that they are strictly supervising their child’s use of social media or the children simply put in false information to access the platform and create an account. Currently there is no verification method required. Both actions are illegal, he said.
He said he thinks a major part of the problem is allowing youth to use smartphones unsupervised. In Spain, 72 per cent of children age 12 have their own cell phone and by 13 the number is up to 88 per cent.
“Prohibiting the use of social media until age 16 could be a solution,” he said.
He added that, in principle, he is in favour of a youth ban on social media use but fears what will be required to make it effective, such as providing platforms with a digital identification document, for example.
This, Martinez said, “is the biggest problem we can imagine”, as will make it easier for the government to track citizen’s actions and opinions, as well as for private businesses to “monetise” personal data.
“We’re giving up freedom for security,” he said.
Eva Mourino, an entrepreneur and mother, is totally opposed to any government ban on social media as she considers it a form of government overreach.
“It’s not within the government’s competency to put age limits on social media use,” she said. “In my opinion, it’s the job of parents and guardians to put age limits on social media use.”
Mourino added that she finds Sánchez’s policy incoherent as his government has also passed laws to allow minors under the age of 16 to have an abortion or hormone therapy without the consent or knowledge of their parents.
By contrast, Ruth Winter, a teacher, favours a government ban on social media access for youth despite her distrust of the current government.
“I question Sánchez’s motives but if the more reasonable Australian Government did it a few months ago, it must be good,” she said. “Above all you always need to protect children from danger.”
Enrique Rojo, a psychologist and father, is also in favour of a ban on social media access for minors but is opposed to one on X.
“Regarding a ban on X or any other network where people can be informed, express themselves, and communicate, that is a violation of the basic rights of citizens,” he said, adding that such a move would be the mark of a dictatorship.
Others wholeheartedly supported the proposed youth ban, including hoping it would go further.
Maria Gonzalez, a mother and communications and marketing professional, would like to see a social media ban reach up to age 18.
Justo Velasco, a pharmacist and father, told Brussels Signal: “In my opinion, it’s perfect. There’s too much information and manipulated reality for [youth] to comprehend it.”
