Elon Musk calls Spanish PM 'tyrant' over under-16 social media ban

Elon Musk has escalated his feud with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling him a "dirty tyrant" after Spain announced plans to ban social media access for children under 16.

Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Sánchez unveiled a sweeping package of measures aimed at protecting minors from what he described as the "digital Wild West." 

The initiative will require platforms to implement rigorous age-verification systems and hold tech executives legally accountable for failing to remove harmful content, including hate speech and child exploitation.

“Our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone … We will no longer accept that,” Sánchez declared, insisting on the need for “real barriers that work” to prevent minors from joining these networks.

The Spanish leader also accused Musk of using X (formerly Twitter) to spread disinformation about Spain's recent decision to regularise 500,000 undocumented workers, pointedly noting that Musk himself is an immigrant.

Musk fired back on X, calling Sánchez a "tyrant and a traitor to the people of Spain." 

He intensified his attack, labelling the prime minister "the true fascist totalitarian."

Spain joins a growing international movement to restrict minors' social media access. Australia implemented a ban for under-16s in December, while Greece, France, and Britain are pursuing similar legislation.