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Elon Musk and Pavel Durov criticize "digital tyranny": Spain's social media ban for under 16 sparks global privacy controversy
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced at the Dubai World Government Summit that an online age verification system will be implemented nationwide, and social media use will be banned for those under 16. This policy quickly caused a huge stir in the global tech community. X founder Elon Musk and Telegram founder Pavel Durov both spoke out, strongly criticizing the proposal, arguing that it threatens internet freedom and user privacy.
Sanchez stated that social media has become a "runaway machine," and the government must regain control of the platforms to protect minors. The new legislation not only requires platforms to conduct age verification but also allows for the prosecution of platform executives for hate speech. Durov immediately issued a statement to Spanish users, warning that the policy could force platforms to collect all user data and implement comprehensive surveillance under the guise of "security." He pointed out that once algorithms and content recommendations are criminalized, the government will be able to indirectly control the information the public sees.
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