The Spanish government has accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of "spreading lies" and attempting to undermine democratic institutions after he sent a mass message to the app's users in Spain criticizing government plans to restrict social media access for under-16s and impose liability on tech companies for harmful content.
Durov's message, sent on Wednesday, warned that the proposed measures could turn Spain "into a surveillance state under the guise of 'protection'" and claimed that age verification requirements would pave the way for tracking "every user's identity," while liability rules could encourage platforms to over-censor content, suppressing political dissent, journalism, and ordinary opinions.
Spanish officials condemned the intervention, arguing that it was intended to erode trust in public institutions. "Telegram founder Pavel Durov used his unrestricted control of the app to send a mass message to all users in Spain, spreading several lies and making illegitimate attacks against the government. This is the first time this has happened in our country's history," a government spokesperson said. "Spaniards cannot live in a world where foreign tech oligarchs can flood our phones with propaganda at will simply because the government has announced measures to protect minors and enforce the law."
The episode follows a growing pattern of tensions between European governments and tech billionaires. Just a day before Durov's message, Elon Musk described Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as a "true fascist totalitarian" in response to the proposed rules. European officials have increasingly deployed social media strategies, including memes and official rebuttals, to respond to tech industry interventions in domestic politics.
Spanish authorities maintain that the proposed legislation is aimed at protecting minors and regulating platforms, not restricting free speech. Prime Minister Sánchez responded to the controversy with a line adapted from Don Quixote: "Let the tech-oligarchs bark, Sancho, it means we're on track."
The debate highlights broader European concerns about the influence of foreign tech companies. France, Denmark, and other countries are exploring ways to reduce reliance on non-European platforms and adopt homegrown or open-source solutions to safeguard public digital infrastructure...
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