The Spanish government is preparing an unprecedented package of measures to regulate the internet. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking today at a summit in Dubai, called social networks a “failed state” and a “digital Wild West,” where impunity and disinformation thrive.
Next week, the Council of Ministers is set to approve five radical measures:
🔞 A full ban for children under 16. Platforms will be required to implement “effective age verification systems” (not just a simple “I am 18” checkbox).
⚖️ Criminal liability for CEOs. Executives of tech giants (TikTok, Instagram, X, etc.) could face real prison sentences if their platforms refuse to remove illegal content or hate speech.
🤖 Algorithms on trial. Manipulating algorithms to incite hatred for profit will become a criminal offense.
📉 “Hate footprint” (Huella de odio). A metric will be introduced to assess the toxicity of social media. The higher the level of social polarization caused by a platform, the tougher the sanctions.
🔍 Investigations. Spain, together with the public prosecutor’s office, will initiate cases against TikTok, Instagram, and Grok (Elon Musk’s AI).
Sánchez explicitly mentioned Elon Musk, accusing him of using his platform X to attack Spain’s sovereign decision to legalize 500,000 migrants. The prime minister stated that Spain will defend its “digital sovereignty” against foreign pressure.
📍 The package of measures is expected to be approved by the Council of Ministers as early as next week. Spain is not acting alone but in coalition with five other EU countries.
Next week, the Council of Ministers is set to approve five radical measures:
🔞 A full ban for children under 16. Platforms will be required to implement “effective age verification systems” (not just a simple “I am 18” checkbox).
⚖️ Criminal liability for CEOs. Executives of tech giants (TikTok, Instagram, X, etc.) could face real prison sentences if their platforms refuse to remove illegal content or hate speech.
🤖 Algorithms on trial. Manipulating algorithms to incite hatred for profit will become a criminal offense.
📉 “Hate footprint” (Huella de odio). A metric will be introduced to assess the toxicity of social media. The higher the level of social polarization caused by a platform, the tougher the sanctions.
🔍 Investigations. Spain, together with the public prosecutor’s office, will initiate cases against TikTok, Instagram, and Grok (Elon Musk’s AI).
Sánchez explicitly mentioned Elon Musk, accusing him of using his platform X to attack Spain’s sovereign decision to legalize 500,000 migrants. The prime minister stated that Spain will defend its “digital sovereignty” against foreign pressure.
📍 The package of measures is expected to be approved by the Council of Ministers as early as next week. Spain is not acting alone but in coalition with five other EU countries.
