American Marconi Wireless News - EU defends Spain after Telegram founder criticism

"We stand in solidarity with the member states trying to hold online platforms accountable," European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier told AFP.

"This is a top priority for the commission as well," Regnier added in a statement.

"Online platforms offer a lot of benefits, which our citizens can best enjoy when we mitigate certain risks," he said.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov joined fellow tech tycoon Elon Musk in criticising Sanchez, speaking of "dangerous new regulations that threaten your internet freedoms" in a post on his Telegram messaging app on Wednesday.

Sanchez pushed back on Thursday.

"Do we want a technology that normalises and amplifies deception? That transforms privacy into a commodity? A society where a techno-oligarch can interfere, as one of them did yesterday, in the mobile phones of millions of citizens to tell them lies?" he asked.

"The answer must be a clear no, and we will not give in," Sanchez said.

Telegram has an estimated billion users and is known for its privacy features.

Musk had reacted to Sanchez's announcement with a string of posts on his social media platform X on Tuesday, calling him "the true fascist totalitarian".

The Spanish plan comes after France's lower house of parliament passed a bill last month that would ban social media use by under-15s.

It still needs senate approval to become law.

Brussels is mulling an EU-wide ban after pressure from member states but first wants to hear from an expert panel currently being set up.

Regnier, however, insisted the EU held "online platforms accountable" and "we protect our children" with its content law known as the Digital Services Act.

"We will keep working closely with our member states to make the online environment in Europe safe, transparent and trustworthy," the spokesman said.

O.Karlsson--AMWN