Telegram vs. Spain: Free Speech, Privacy, and Digital Control

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This episode explores the public clash between Pável Dúrov, founder of Telegram, and the Spanish government over a new digital regulation bill. Dúrov accuses the administration of Pedro Sánchez of pushing censorship through mandatory user identification and criminal liability for platform executives. The government counters that the reforms are necessary to protect minors and society from harmful content and opaque algorithms. We unpack the privacy-versus-regulation dilemma, the technical uncertainty around age and identity verification, and what this dispute reveals about Europe’s escalating battle with Big Tech over digital sovereignty.