Elon Musk Labels Spain's Pedro Sánchez as ‘Tyrant' Over Network Impunity Comments

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of the social media platform X, recently targeted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, branding him a “tyrant and traitor” following Sánchez's announcement of five new measures aimed at combating the impunity of social networks and protecting minors from their harmful effects.

Musk's remarks were prompted by a tweet where Sánchez outlined his proposals to regulate large digital platforms. In his response, Musk derogatorily referred to Sánchez as “Dirty Sánchez,” a term that carries a dual meaning, including a nod to a controversial sexual reference, accompanied by a poop emoji.

On Tuesday, Sánchez unveiled a comprehensive package of measures designed to tackle the abuses perpetrated by major digital platforms and to establish a safer online environment. He stated, “Social networks have become a failed state, where laws are ignored and crimes are tolerated.”

One significant aspect of these measures directly targets Musk: “We will amend legislation in Spain to hold platform managers legally accountable for the numerous violations occurring on their platforms.” This means that CEOs of tech companies could face criminal charges if they fail to remove hateful or illegal content, as explained by Sánchez.

This exchange marks the second public confrontation between Musk and Sánchez on X within just a few days. Previously, Sánchez had responded to Musk's criticism regarding immigration policies with the comment, “Mars can wait, humanity cannot.”

Another critical point from Sánchez's announcement is the criminalization of algorithm manipulation and the amplification of illegal content. “This is something created, promoted, and disseminated by specific actors, which we will investigate, including the platforms whose algorithms amplify misinformation for profit. The days of hiding behind code and claiming that technology is neutral are over,” he emphasized. Notably, on the same day, the Paris Prosecutor's Office conducted searches at X's offices in France and called Musk to testify regarding potential algorithm manipulation related to foreign interference in promoting specific messages on the platform.