Spain is making headlines with a bold new plan: banning social media for anyone under 16. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says these measures are crucial to protect young people from harmful online content, like violence and pornography. But that’s not all – Sanchez also wants to make tech CEOs criminally responsible if illegal or hateful content isn’t removed from their platforms.
This ambitious move hasn’t gone unnoticed by the tech world’s biggest names. Pavel Durov, founder of privacy-focused Telegram, wasted no time slamming the proposal. He warned that such regulations could turn Spain into a “surveillance state,” jeopardizing internet freedoms and leading to mass data collection and censorship. The Spanish government, however, quickly hit back, accusing Durov of spreading “lies” and emphasizing the urgent need for social media regulation.
Adding fuel to the fire, Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), unleashed a string of fiery posts against Sanchez. Musk didn’t hold back, labeling the Prime Minister a “tyrant” and a “traitor.” It seems this isn’t their first dispute, with Musk previously criticizing Sanchez’s policies on undocumented migrants.
Sanchez, unfazed by the criticism from “techno-oligarchs,” quoted Don Quixote, suggesting their barking means his government is on the right path. While Spain is the latest to propose such a ban, it’s not alone. Australia already introduced similar measures, and other European nations like France, Greece, and Denmark are pushing for comparable steps. This global debate on youth safety versus internet freedom is clearly just beginning.
