Sánchez Rebukes Tech Billionaires After Musk’s Attacks Over Spain’s Online Safety Plan

Overview

• At an event in Madrid, Pedro Sánchez said democracy would not be swayed by “tech oligarchs” and accused them of spreading lies through their platforms.
• The proposal would bar under‑16s from social networks, require effective age verification, impose direct criminal liability on executives for failing to remove illegal content, and criminalize algorithmic amplification of illegal material.
• Elon Musk reposted Sánchez’s announcement on X while calling him a tyrant and a traitor to Spain and endorsed posts claiming the rules threaten free expression and privacy.
• Telegram founder Pavel Durov sent a message to users in Spain warning the plan would force broad data collection and state control of content, prompting the government to say his blast underscored the need for regulation.
• The measures are slated to be folded into an existing bill and need cross‑party backing, and regulators previously fined X €5 million in 2025 for running fraudulent crypto ads in Spain.