Europe's Social Media Crackdown: A New Era for Teens

Spain and Greece propose bans on social media use for teenagers, joining a broader European trend to protect minors online. The move sparked backlash from Elon Musk, highlighting global debates over children's digital exposure. The measures seek to hold social media executives accountable for platform content.

Spain and Greece have proposed new regulations to limit social media usage by teenagers, marking a shift in European policy toward technology often deemed addictive. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced plans to ban social media for under-16s, a move echoed by a forthcoming similar announcement in Greece for children under 15.

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), vehemently criticized Sánchez, branding him a tyrant. Despite this, Sánchez emphasized his government's commitment to introducing laws holding social media executives personally responsible for platform content related to hate speech.

With these initiatives, Spain joins five other European nations aiming to enforce cross-border regulations as part of the "Coalition of the Digitally Willing." This global push reflects concerns about children's screen time impact on their development and mental well-being, amid the rise of AI-generated harmful content.

(With inputs from agencies.)