Article
Elon Musk calls Pedro Sánchez 'tyrant' over plans to ban minors from using social media
Tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk called Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez a "tyrant and traitor to the people of Spain" in response to Madrid's plans to roll out new measures aimed at regulating digital platforms and protecting minors.
On Tuesday, Sánchez announced a new legislative proposal aimed at holding social media executives accountable for failing to properly police their platforms.
The proposals looks to ban under-16s from accessing social media, as Madrid expressed concern with the rise of hateful and incendiary speech on digital platforms.
Sánchez said social media platforms will have to implement age verification tools that actually work, not easily bypassable checkboxes, if they wish to operate in Spain.
Musk, a self-described supporter of radical free speech, labelled the Spanish leader "Dirty Sánchez," an offensive term referencing a sexual act.
The measures announced by the Spanish executive aim to combat what Madrid considers the “Wild West” of social networks, where laws are often ignored and hate speech is tolerated.
One of the measures announced by the Spanish premier looks to make social media platform executives and owners liable in court if they fail to remove hateful or illegal content — a move which would directly affect the likes of Musk.
His criticism of Sánchez comes as the European Union explores new tools to hold US Big Tech accountable for breaching digital rules.
