The tech oligarchs are scared of Spain’s courage
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Dear readers!
Finally, a European leader stands up to the tech oligarchs. On Tuesday, the Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez announced a series of groundbreaking measures to tackle online hate and polarization, among them:
- A social media ban for under-16s
- Personal accountability for platform executives
- Criminalising algorithmic manipulation and the amplification of illegal content
- The introduction of a “hate and polarization footprint” system to track how platforms fuel division.
It‘s scaring the tech oligarchs
What really scares the oligarchs is that Sánchez dares to say one thing very loudly: Social media has become a failed state, a place where laws are ignored and where disinformation is worth more than truth.
The online platforms as they are set up now are a threat to democracy, to the well-being of our children, women and the society as a whole. This is something the European Parliament has pointed out for a long time, but the EU Commission and the EU member states have been dragging their feet ever since. Sánchez’ courage could be the start of a united European response. A united Europe that protects its values is what scares the tech oligarchs most.
Elon Musk already used his platform to insult Prime Minister Sánchez, calling him ”dirty, a tyrant and a traitor“ (see screenshot above). Sánchez certainly needs to brace for a massive disinformation and defamation campaign.
His announcement is a brave step forward and a stark contrast to the total lack of action of the European Commission President.
Sánchez courageous move poses a challenge for the European Commission.
All of Sánchez‘s proposed measures (except the criminal responsibility) could have been addressed using the Digital Services Act, which provides an appropriate legal basis. However, the European Commission has deliberately chosen not to use the DSA in a way that means any meaningful enforcement actions. Instead Commissioner Virkunnen and Commission President von der Leyen slow down investigations and refuse to touch politically sensitive issues like polarization and electoral manipulation. Even in the case of serious crimes such as like child-sexual-abuse-material (CSAM) generated by Grok on X it took the Commission weeks to react.
Under the continuous threats of the US government, it has turned the Digital Services Act into a blanket suffocating any attempt to take the internet out of the hands of authoritarian oligarchs.
It‘s a grim irony. The DSA was established to prevent fragmentation of the European Digital Single Market. Now the lack of enforcement is producing exactly the fragmentation and legal uncertainty that it was conceived to prevent.
Now, member states governments and the European Commission must decide: Will they stand by Sánchez and their own citizens or will they use the DSA against him? On the surface, the issues addressed by Sánchez are covered by European law, which overrides Spanish national legislation. While the legal details will be analysed, what matters most is political will. It‘s time for courage. It‘s time for Europe to stand together. Behind Sánchez, I will stand.
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Thank you for your support!
All the best,
Alexandra