Spain moves to ban social media for under‑16s amid Argentina study of school phone use

In Spain, a grassroots movement called Adolescencia Libre de Móviles, now numbering more than 30,000 families, has pushed for legal limits on minors' access to social‑media platforms. The Spanish Congress is preparing a law that would prohibit anyone under 16 from using social‑media services unless the platform obtains explicit approval from the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), with potential criminal liability for executives who allow harmful content.

In Argentina, a report by Argentinos por la Educación and CONICET researcher Andrea Goldin examined smartphone penetration in primary schools, finding that about 60% of third‑grade students own a phone and another 20% use a family member's device. The study shows that banning phones reduces classroom distractions, but evidence on academic outcomes is mixed; no clear link has been established between bans and improved test scores or reading comprehension.

Both pieces highlight the growing debate over how societies should manage children's use of mobile technology, balancing safety and wellbeing against educational performance.