Portugal's parliament has recently approved a bill requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to access social media platforms, marking a significant legislative move in Europe. The bill, introduced by the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), passed its first reading with 148 votes in favor, 69 against, and 13 abstentions, as reported by ProPakistani. The legislation aims to protect children from cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators. A public system known as the Digital Mobile Key (DMK) will be used by parents to provide consent, and tech companies will be required to implement age verification systems compatible with the DMK. The bill also seeks to enforce an existing ban on social media access for children under 13. PSD lawmaker Paulo Marcelo emphasized, 'We have to protect our children... we intend to create a norm to give more power to parents and families, to accompany and control.' Non-compliance by tech companies could result in fines up to 2% of their global revenue, according to Dawn.