Elon Musk calls Spanish PM a ‘tyrant’ over plan to ban social media for under-16s

Spain has proposed a ban on social media following the European announcement to regulate the “digital wild west” and tech billionaires who view such measures as state-controlled media. A heated public row has erupted between Elon Musk and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez after the government announced sweeping plans to ban children under 16 from the platforms.

The Prime minister, Pedro Sanchez said that the government is effectively working to prepare a series of measures, including a social media ban for under-16s to protect children from the “digital world west” and hold tech companies responsible for harmful content.

Sanchez further criticized Musk taking him to task for using X to “amplify disinformation” regarding the administration’s decision last week to grant legal status to 500,000 migrants.

Musk wrote on X in response: “Dirty Sanchez is a tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain.” He further said on X: “Sanchez is the true fascist totalitarian.”

Several countries have been working to impose bans to protect minors from harmful content. Greece is also close to announcing a similar ban for children under 15. Spain and Greece are looking to join countries such as Britain and France, which are considering competing stances on social media after Australia became the first nation to prohibit access to such platforms for children younger than 16.

In line with the recent 1psos poll on education published in August last year, 82% of people in Spain believed children under 14 should be banned from social media. 

According to The Guardian, the recent regulation imposed by Spain would provide parents with a clear stance to set limits and would ease social media pressure for children. This comes as the world has witnessed an explosion of AI-generated content and public outcry over Musk’s Grok AI chatbot generating non-consensual sexual images including minors. 

Consequently, the government is working with public prosecutors to investigate alleged violations by Grok, TikTok, and Instagram while adopting a zero-tolerance policy and warning that Spain would defend its digital sovereignty against foreign interference.