MADRID, Spain: Spain is preparing one of Europe's most brutal crackdowns on children's use of social media, signalling a broader shift toward stricter digital regulation aimed at protecting minors online.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that Spain will ban access to social media platforms for children under 16 and require companies to implement age-verification systems.

Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Sanchez said the measures were necessary to shield children from the risks of unregulated online spaces.

"Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone... We will no longer accept that," Sanchez said. "We will protect them from the digital Wild West."

He added that the Spanish government would also introduce a new bill next week designed to hold social media executives personally accountable for illegal and hateful content circulating on their platforms.

Spain's move follows a landmark decision by Australia, which in December became the first nation to ban social media access for children under 16.

That decision is being closely watched by governments elsewhere as pressure mounts to curb social media's impact on young users. Countries including Britain and France are considering similar age-based restrictions.