Telegram CEO criticises Spain’s social media age verification proposals

Telegram’s chief executive has accused Spain of risking a 'surveillance state' after the government unveiled plans to tighten rules around children’s access to social media.

Pavel Durov, the French-Emirati founder of the messaging platform, criticised proposals that would introduce mandatory age checks and set 16 as the minimum age for using social networks.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the measures at the World Government Summit in Dubai, saying platforms would be required to install age-verification systems and permanently block younger users.

But Durov warned the crackdown could come at a cost to privacy.

In a statement shared on X Wednesday, he argued the rules would hand the state greater control over online information and open the door to mass monitoring of users.

He said the plan could 'turn Spain into a surveillance state under the guise of protection'.

He also broadened his criticism to Europe more widely, claiming France was already targeting social networks and limiting online freedoms.

Sánchez has defended the move as part of a wider effort to protect children online, pointing to similar age-verification systems being adopted in other countries.