Portugal has initiated a significant legislative process to limit social media access for minors under the age of 16. This initiative, backed by the center-right government and the left-wing Socialist Party, represents a collaborative effort to create regulations aimed at protecting young people from potential online harms. The law received pushback from the populist far-right party Chega, which has termed the measure 'digital Stalinism' and labeled it as an attack on personal freedoms. Chega's leader, André Ventura, expressed concerns that this legislation infringes on individual liberties and could represent an overreach of government control over the lives of families.

The legislation proposes the establishment of a public administrative agency to oversee this restriction, which has drawn personalized criticisms from Ventura, who views the measures as not merely regulatory but as a fundamental shift in the governance of personal liberties and children's autonomy. The discussion around this bill highlights broader societal debates regarding the implications of digital access for youth, particularly in light of growing concerns about mental health, cyberbullying, and the effects of social media on young minds.

With the approval of this law, Portugal is positioning itself within a continental context of increased scrutiny and regulation of social media platforms, particularly in relation to protecting young users. This move may inspire similar discussions in other countries facing challenges regarding the balance of internet freedom and the necessity of safety measures for minors, particularly as digital consumption among youths continues to rise.