Q. Which country became the first in Europe to ban social media access for children below 16 years of age?
Answer: Spain
Notes: Spain has announced a nationwide ban on social media access for children below 16 years of age. It became the first European country and the second globally after Australia to take this step. The ban is expected to come into force within a week. Social media companies must enforce strict age verification and compliance. Australia introduced a similar ban in December 2025, leading to removal of over 5.5 lakh underage accounts. The move may influence other European Union countries to adopt stricter digital child protection laws.