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Protecting minors online: Spain and UK consider raising social media age limits

From Proceso Digital · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Researchers in education and psychology advocate for effective accompaniment of minors on social media, beyond mere prohibition.
  • They emphasize dialogue and supervision over strict age limits, suggesting content adaptation to children's developmental stages.
  • The article discusses Spain's proposed law to raise the minimum age for social media accounts to 16 and compares it with UK's similar measures.

Researchers in education and psychology are calling for a balanced approach to protecting minors on social media, emphasizing accompaniment over strict prohibitions. While acknowledging the importance of regulation, they argue that it is not enough on its own.

Regulation is important but not enough.

— Rosario del ReyA professor at the University of Seville, highlighting the need for more than just rules.

Rosario del Rey, a professor at the University of Seville, stated that society is becoming more aware of the need for control and regulation, which helps lower risk levels. However, she noted that there is still progress to be made in addressing the inherent dynamics of social media platforms that often encourage unhealthy behaviors. Spain's proposed Law on the Protection of Minors in Digital Environments aims to be a "turning point," according to Minister of Youth and Childhood Sira Rego.

The current legal age to register on social media in Spain is 14, but the government intends to raise it to 16, effectively preventing minors under that age from having their own accounts. Joaquín Mora, a professor at the University of Seville, suggested that while a regulatory framework is helpful, it shouldn't solely focus on age restrictions. He advocated for progressive accompaniment that adapts social media content and design to a child's developmental stage.

As a society, we are becoming aware that we need to control and regulate.

— Rosario del ReyOn the growing societal consciousness regarding digital safety for children.

Scientific studies indicate that negative impacts from social media, often stemming from interactions with other minors, can be mitigated by creating an inclusive environment. Family involvement is also crucial, with dialogue and supervision playing key roles. Mora highlighted that when adolescents feel safe to share their online experiences with family without fear of repercussions, like losing internet access, the negative effects can be reduced.

Perhaps it should not be framed solely in terms of age restriction at a certain cutoff, whatever it may be.

— Joaquín MoraA professor at the University of Seville, suggesting a nuanced approach to age limits.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is set to join countries that ban access to major social media platforms for those under 16. Carmen López Suárez, a researcher and author, noted this trend, emphasizing that family guidance and setting boundaries are essential for children navigating the digital world.

progressive accompaniment that would allow adjusting the content and designs of networks to the evolutionary moments of each child.

— Joaquín MoraProposing a tailored approach to children's social media use.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Proceso Digital in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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