The pieces are already on the board and are moving. The Congress of Deputies has reactivated the Draft Law for the Protection of Minors in Digital Environments. The committee has been constituted and is expected to meet "soon" to begin working on the report of an initiative that keeps the sector agitated. The industry shares some elements of the text, but demands adjustments. In general, according to sources consulted by Demócrata, they see it as positive and necessary to safeguard the security of young people on the internet, but they express their reservations about how the norm is technically specified. What are the contentious points, what does the law propose, and what is the solution that companies are asking for?
The responsibility of parental control, manufacturers or software developers?
Parental control is one of the core elements of the law. The political consensus is that there should be a sort of verifier on devices so that minors cannot access certain content. The key issue is who bears the responsibility and how to implement it technically. The dispute is between manufacturers and operators; and between those who opt for products to have it activated by default and those who choose to apply it during initial setup.
DigitalES, the employers' association that brings together leading telecommunications, technology, and digital innovation companies, tells Demócrata that there is room for improvement in the technical application of the standard, specifically in the allocation of responsibilities.
In his opinion, obligations must fall on whoever truly has the capacity to act. In the case of parental control, DigitalES considers that it depends on the software and operating systems more than on the device manufacturers. Consequently, "the responsibility here must fall on the software developers, who are the ones with the capacity to act, and not on the manufacturers, who are not dedicated to it".
Parental control depends on software and operating systems more than on device manufacturers
The Multisectorial Association of Companies in Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies, and Digital Content and Telecommunications (AMETIC), which represents the main companies of digital service providers, manufacturers, and marketers of devices and equipment, sent in October 2025 a substantial document with suggestions such as that the parental control obligation should only apply to smartphones, excluding tablets, computers, and smart televisions.
AMETIC argued that, as the text is drafted, it would have a strong impact on distributors and manufacturers, who would be forced to rethink the contractual chain, as well as a good part of the products offered. Also, that if Spain enacts regulations different from the other Member States, the market of the European Union would be fragmented, which would imply cumbersome technical adaptations and a reform of all production channels to take into account only the characteristics of the Spanish market.
Regarding the proposal that only parental control be imposed on mobile phones, AMETIC justifies that the parental PIN on smartphones would be sufficient because the rest of the terminals usually have shared use in the home and are located in common areas, which facilitates adult supervision. Furthermore, the costs for the industry would be very high and its competitiveness would be diminished.
Concern about content
DigitalES recalls that any parental control or age verification system will only be effective if the content is correctly rated at the source, that is, on the platforms where it is published. Without this clear and homogeneous labeling, it would be difficult to apply filters or restrictions effectively.
In tune, beyond the recommended age, the sector considers it necessary to include additional information about the nature of the content (violence, sex, language, risk behaviors, etc.), in order to offer greater transparency.
Likewise, it asks that it is equally important that illicit content can be removed as quickly as possible, since dissemination is rapid and it is key that agile mechanisms exist that allow it to be curbed. Otherwise, the damage has already been done and there is no going back.
Any parental control or age verification system will only be effective if the content is correctly rated at the source
By default?
Once it has been determined who is responsible for the articulation of parental control and the content labeling has been configured, the question is whether this system should be activated by default on devices or not.
In an interview in Demócrata, the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, argued that it should be activated by default when any device is turned on for the first time, but the industry expresses its reservations.
Adigital (Spanish Association of the Digital Economy) demands that parental control tools be offered, but not activated automatically, to allow for conscious configuration by families. An opinion shared by AMETIC and for the same reason, to offer parents and guardians the possibility of configuring it.
Risk Information: Product Labeling
Another of the hot topics that most stirs up the sector is the labeling of technological devices. The new regulation establishes the obligation for manufacturers of smartphones, tablets, computers, digital televisions, and other devices to inform on their labels about the risks derived from accessing content harmful to the health and the physical, mental, and moral development of minors. It should be visible on the packaging and in the instruction manual.
AMETIC, in this regard, proposed directly eliminating this obligation. They allege that it would generate legal uncertainty since each manufacturer would indicate different information, among other things, because elements such as recommendation times are outside their control and there is no scientific consensus as they depend on individual factors.
As an alternative solution, the employers' association proposes that information can be provided on the website or in an easily accessible digital format to, among other things, reduce environmental impact by decreasing the use of paper (manuals and labels) and inks. They also suggest that public authorities and bodies should design the information sets so that they are uniform, regardless of the manufacturer.
Sumar, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), PNV and Junts have registered amendments precisely in this direction, something that Adigital celebrates, as it maintains that information on risks and recommendations must come from official sources and be truthful, homogeneous, and updated.
Permanent contact with the speakers
All the employers' associations consulted by this newspaper admit that the dialogue with the speakers of the law is fluid and constant, and they hope that it will remain so, so that they can know their sensitivities to finalize transactional amendments, always from a technical and practical approach and with the shared purpose that the law be useful and effective in safeguarding the safety of minors, which is the ultimate goal of all this regulation.
Time to negotiate with the sector they have. Usually, a date is usually set, but not on this occasion. Sources from the committee consulted by Demócrata assure that the idea is to meet "soon", but the latest clash between the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and Carles Puigdemont "does not help". And the arithmetic is already difficult enough to make it even more complicated. This bill is not one of those that Junts announced it would facilitate after its break with the PSOE, so its accommodation in the BOE is by no means guaranteed. To make matters worse, it is an Organic Law, which will require an absolute majority for its approval and, with Junts' withdrawal from the investiture bloc, the numbers do not add up. The sum of PSOE (121), Sumar (26), ERC (7), EH Bildu (6), PNV (5) and those attached to the Mixed group, Águeda Micó (Compromís), BNG, Coalición Canaria and the four from Podemos, results in a meager total of 172.