Overview
- Spain has proposed banning social media access for under‑16s and asked prosecutors to assess potential investigations of X, Meta and TikTok over AI‑generated child sexual abuse images shared on their platforms.
- Australia enacted a 16‑and‑over rule in 2025, while France and Denmark are considering similar thresholds and the European Parliament has recommended raising the minimum to 16.
- India is evaluating restrictions on minors’ access, with Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlining options such as verified ages, parental authorization and time limits.
- Industry and political pushback has intensified, with Elon Musk attacking Pedro Sánchez, Telegram’s Pavel Durov warning of dangerous norms, and Spanish officials publicly distancing themselves from X or urging tougher action.
- Experts flag major implementation risks, including unreliable age checks, likely evasion through VPNs or fake accounts, and potential legal conflicts such as those cited in Mexico under USMCA and constitutional guarantees, prompting calls for education and algorithmic accountability as complements to any bans.