Tech oligarchs won't intimidate us, says Sánchez on network ban

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has made it clear that his government will not be pressured by tech giants over its planned ban on social media for children and young people under the age of 16.

He was responding to criticism from Elon Musk and Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who warn against interference with freedom of expression and excessive state surveillance.

Sánchez called them "tech oligarchs" who, according to him, spread lies and use their platforms to influence public opinion. He also stressed that democracy cannot be governed by the algorithms of private companies.

The government in Madrid claims that the aim of the regulation is to protect young people from disinformation, hate speech, and harmful content, while strengthening public control over the digital space.

(reuters, pir)