The Spanish government has issued a defiant message to Silicon Valley, confirming it will push ahead with stringent new legislation designed to make social networks and Artificial Intelligence (AI) demonstrably safer.
Speaking exclusively to Reuters, Spain's Digital Transformation Minister, Óscar López, said the government viewed the current digital landscape as fundamentally unsustainable.
"The profit of four tech companies cannot come at the expense of the rights of millions," López stated bluntly.
He acknowledged that "powerful voices" from the tech sector were aggressively lobbying against proposed national and European regulations aimed at restricting high-risk AI systems and forcing social media companies to disclose how their engagement algorithms operate.
López's stance closely echoed that of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. On Tuesday, von der Leyen confirmed the Commission was targeting "addictive and harmful design practices" engineered by social media firms, which will face tighter regulation under the bloc's upcoming Digital Fairness Act.
Spain is part of a growing international trend towards stronger protections for minors online.
In February, Spain announced plans to ban social media use by teenagers. The bill, currently moving through parliament, also includes a controversial provision that would hold tech executives personally liable for hate speech published on their platforms.
The move drew swift criticism from tech billionaires, including X owner Elon Musk. Musk used his platform to accuse Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of being a "tyrant" and a "totalitarian" for attempting to regulate online speech and access.
Despite Madrid's national efforts, López stressed that Spain's long-term goal was a unified European framework for regulating tech companies.
He argued that tougher rules would be easier to enforce across a bloc of more than 400 million people than through fragmented national approaches that large technology firms could exploit.
The minister warned supporters of a deregulated tech sector that they would eventually regret defending what he described as "the law of the jungle".
López linked the urgency of the reforms to growing concerns over cyberbullying, algorithmic sexual harassment, and the rise of AI-generated sexual deepfakes targeting children, particularly girls.
He described the psychological impact on minors as a "mental health pandemic".
Spain has positioned itself as one of Europe's strongest advocates for what López called "trustworthy AI". He said Europe's future AI model must prioritise privacy, democratic integrity, child protection and public safety over speed and corporate profit.
When asked whether authorities should have the power to identify people using pseudonyms online to commit crimes or harassment, López said anonymity should never shield individuals from legal responsibility.
"What isn't legal in the real world cannot be legal in the virtual world," López concluded. "Full stop."
The United States eased sanctions on Iran for 60 days as President Donald Trump warned he would do "what I have to do" if Tehran failed to honour the ...
The European Union is set to host Taliban officials in Brussels for talks on migration, marking the first known visit by the group to an EU meeting si...
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country must continue strengthening its nuclear capabilities to deal with what he described as an increas...
Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to be Britain’s next Prime Minister, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, just hours after Keir Starmer a...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 23 June, covering the latest developments you need to know. ...
The United States eased sanctions on Iran for 60 days as President Donald Trump warned he would do "what I have to do" if Tehran failed to honour the deal.
The European Union is set to host Taliban officials in Brussels for talks on migration, marking the first known visit by the group to an EU meeting since it returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country must continue strengthening its nuclear capabilities to deal with what he described as an increasingly unstable global security environment.
Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to be Britain’s next Prime Minister, was sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, just hours after Keir Starmer announced his resignation from the top job.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
American technology company Snap has launched its first augmented-reality (AR) glasses for consumers, marking a major push into wearable computing as tech firms race to redefine personal devices in the AI era.
The Canadian government has introduced a digital safety bill that would ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, unless platforms meet specific safety standards.
NASA has named three American astronauts and one Italian astronaut to fly on its Artemis III mission, a major orbital test planned for late next year that will evaluate lunar landing vehicles developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
China will send an astronaut to its space station on Sunday for a one-year mission, the longest duration for the country so far. The mission will help study long-duration human physiology in space as China works toward a crewed Moon landing by 2030.
Anxiety over artificial intelligence is hardening among young workers as executives promote faster adoption and companies point to automation in fresh job cuts.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment