Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X, has launched a public attack on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling him a “tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain” following the government’s announcement of new measures to regulate social media and protect minors online.
Musk made the remarks in response to a post by Sánchez outlining five initiatives aimed at limiting the harmful effects of social networks on young people. The billionaire reposted the message on X, adding an insult in English accompanied by a derogatory emoji.
The comments came as Sánchez announced a sweeping legal initiative to strengthen oversight of major digital platforms. Speaking from Dubai, the Prime Minister said the government would introduce new legislative and regulatory measures starting next week, including a ban on social media access for children under 16 and mandatory age-verification systems for platforms.
“Social media has become a failed state, where laws are ignored and criminal behavior is tolerated,” Sánchez said. Under the proposed framework, executives of technology companies could face criminal liability if illegal or hate-based content is not removed.
The measures are part of the forthcoming Digital Protection of Minors Act, which seeks to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content such as pornography and requires all digital devices to include parental-control tools. The bill, approved by the Cabinet in June 2024, is currently progressing through parliament and has recently passed the amendment stage.
Once in force, the legislation will amend several existing laws, including provisions of the Criminal Code. It also raises the minimum age for consenting to the processing of personal data from 14 to 16, meaning that minors will need parental or guardian approval to register on social media platforms.
The law was drafted by the Ministry of Youth and Children in coordination with other government departments, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry for Digital Transformation.
