Spain’s government is taking a proactive stance in protecting children from online threats with a proposed law that includes virtual restraining orders for felons, a higher age requirement for opening social media accounts, and health screenings for teenagers to detect emotional disorders related to online activity. The bill aims to address the rising concerns of sexual violence and abuse linked to the internet, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calling it an “authentic epidemic” of pornography targeting minors.
In addition to banning cellphones in elementary schools and requiring justification for their use in high schools, the bill also targets specific crimes related to sharing pornographic material with minors and the creation of deepfake images using AI technology. It also addresses grooming by sexual predators seeking to exploit minors online.
The proposed law would see convicted criminals facing virtual restraining orders preventing them from contacting victims online, as well as a ban from certain online activities. The minimum age for opening a social media account would increase from 14 to 16, with technological companies required to implement age verification and parental controls on their platforms.
The bill emphasizes education, with teachers being trained on internet safety and public awareness campaigns on digital addiction, abuse, and privacy concerns. Save The Children, a non-profit organization consulted in the development of the bill, highlighted the importance of incorporating responsibility and ethics in the use of digital applications into the educational curriculum. With these measures, Spain aims to provide a safer online environment for its youth.
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