Spanish Youth Minister Sira Rego sharply criticized Elon Musk on Wednesday, describing his actions as outrageous and calling for stricter regulation of digital platforms to protect democratic principles and public rights.

Rego, who serves as Spain’s Minister of Youth and Children, directed her remarks at Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, amid escalating tensions between the Spanish government and the tech billionaire. She condemned what she viewed as an unacceptable intervention by a major technology figure into the affairs of a democratic leader.

“I think it’s absolutely outrageous,” Rego said. “We are seeing one of the technological leaders attacking the president of the government of a democracy. And we also see how he positions himself, how he frames the issue of the exercise of freedoms and rights in the digital environment. It’s absolutely unheard of—absolutely unheard of.”

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Sira Rego:
I think it’s absolutely outrageous. We are seeing one of the technological leaders attacking the president of the government of a democracy. And we also see how he positions himself, how he frames the issue of the exercise of freedoms and rights in the digital environment. It’s absolutely unheard of—absolutely unheard of. That’s why digital environments must be regulated, and rules and limits must be established. We are seeing a man who is promoting a series of algorithmic formulations that advance a specific far-right ideology. Therefore, he has an economic interest and a political interest, and this has absolutely nothing to do with the possibility of active participation, democratic mechanisms, or the direct intervention of citizens in the configuration of digital spaces. As a government, we believe the digital sphere must have democratic rules of the game and must be subject to public control. Sovereignty, in any case, belongs to the people and must belong to them through democratic processes. It cannot be left outside the democratic order. This is the focus we are rightly taking. What cannot happen is for the digital space to be left in the hands of three powerful figures who dictate the rules of the game, generate problematic uses, condition growth, and, above all, shape how our sons and daughters exist in the world and in digital environments. In many cases, these dynamics are negatively affecting them, with very worrying mental health patterns. This is a conversation that most families in our country are having. That is why we believe public authorities must intervene to protect the rights of citizens—of course, children and adolescents, but I would say all citizens. This is about rights, this is about democracy, and this is about freedoms.

She argued that Musk’s approach advances a specific ideological agenda through algorithmic means, driven by both economic and political interests rather than genuine democratic participation. “That’s why digital environments must be regulated, and rules and limits must be established,” Rego continued. “We are seeing a man who is promoting a series of algorithmic formulations that advance a specific far-right ideology. Therefore, he has an economic interest and a political interest, and this has absolutely nothing to do with the possibility of active participation, democratic mechanisms, or the direct intervention of citizens in the configuration of digital spaces.”

Rego emphasized the need for the digital sphere to operate under democratic rules and public oversight, warning against allowing control of online spaces to remain concentrated in the hands of a few powerful individuals. “What cannot happen is for the digital space to be left in the hands of three powerful figures who dictate the rules of the game, generate problematic uses, condition growth, and, above all, shape how our sons and daughters exist in the world and in digital environments,” Rego stated. “In many cases, these dynamics are negatively affecting them, with very worrying mental health patterns.”

The minister highlighted that concerns about the impact of social media on young people are widespread among families across Spain. She stressed the role of public authorities in safeguarding citizens’ rights, particularly those of children and adolescents, but extending to all users. “This is a conversation that most families in our country are having,” she said. “That is why we believe public authorities must intervene to protect the rights of citizens—of course, children and adolescents, but I would say all citizens. This is about rights, this is about democracy, and this is about freedoms.”

Her statements align with the Spanish government’s ongoing efforts to impose greater oversight on social media platforms. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently outlined proposals to bar children under 16 from accessing social media, citing the addictive nature of these services and their potential harm to youth development and mental health. The government has also pushed for legislation that would make platform executives personally liable for hate speech, while forming an international group with other European nations to coordinate regulatory approaches.

Rego’s comments mark a further escalation in the Spanish government’s position toward X and its owner, following Musk’s critical responses to earlier announcements from Sánchez, in which he labeled the prime minister in harsh terms. The exchange underscores broader debates in Europe over how to balance child safety, mental health protections, and democratic values with freedom of expression and access to digital information in an era of powerful private platforms.