After Australia, Spain Joins Big Tech Crackdown; Pressure Builds On India

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artificial intelligence and social media tools continue to grow, the world is facing issues like protecting the privacy of children online. After Australia, Spain could take a stronger stand. The country believes taking care of the children and democracy matters more than the profits obtained from Big Tech. Recently, Spain's Digital Transformation Minister, Oscar Lopez, told Reuters that the government will move forward with strict rules for AI systems and social media companies despite heavy lobbying from the tech sector.

Spain Wants Safer AI And More Transparent Social Media

Lopez revealed that the interests of a few tech platforms should not outweigh the rights and safety of millions of people. “The profit of four tech companies cannot come at the expense of the rights of millions,” Lopez said. The government proposed regulations that could limit high-risk AI systems and increase transparency around how social media platforms work. The officials want platforms to explain how the content on social media is prompted and recommended to influence users online. These comments came at a time when European governments are increasing pressure on several tech platforms over issues like misinformation, harmful content and online addiction. Previously, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated that the EU is preparing new measures under the Digital Fairness Act to target harmful design practices used by the social media giants.It is noteworthy that the government has proposed banning social media access for teenagers under new legislation which is currently being discussed in Parliament. Spain is also seen to be considering laws that can make social media executives personally responsible for hate speech shared on their platforms. This move could trigger criticism from some tech leaders. Musk recently attacked Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez over the plans, calling him a ‘tyrant’ and 'totalitarian'. However, Lopez has defied the position of the government and suggested that Europe needs common rules rather than different laws in each country. Lopez pointed out that users with fake names and anonymous accounts should be held accountable. He noted, "What isn't legal in the real world cannot be legal in the virtual world. Full stop.”