WEF 2025: The Prime Minister of Spain accused tech billionaires of wanting to overthrow democracy.

Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, called for the cleansing of social networks and accused a tech billionaire of wanting to undermine democracy.

In his address at the World Economic Forum, Sánchez urged leaders here in Davos to initiate a fight to restore digital platforms to their original purpose – to serve as a safe space for communication rather than being "tools for our own oppression."

"In short, let’s make social media a welcoming place again," he stated.

In his impassioned speech, Sánchez explained that in the early 2000s, social media began to thrive on the promise that they would unite people and strengthen our democracies.

Based on this promise, he noted, government institutions, companies, and the public joined social networks, enabling people to interact from a distance.

However, the downsides are now evident, Sánchez remarked, comparing social media to "invaders hidden within a Trojan horse." He mentioned the rise of online bullying and the development of addiction to these platforms.

He sharply criticized the most powerful tech billionaires in the world, emphasizing that wealth and power have become concentrated in the hands of a few, "at the expense of our mental health and our democracies."

Sánchez accused social media of manipulation occurring in three ways:

1) Simplification and polarization of public discourse. 280 characters (on Twitter) or a 30-second video are insufficient to explain something significant, he noted, but they create a divided society that is easily manipulated.

2) The rise of fake news, which, according to him, social media company owners have chosen not to stop because it is profitable for business and promotes their political agenda.

3) Tools for boosting likes and shares. We were told that these platforms would level the playing field, but they have made it even more unfair, Sánchez stated.

Sánchez blamed the decline of social media on Russia, "anti-system political forces," as well as the owners of major social networks, whom he refers to as a small group of tech billionaires who are no longer satisfied with economic power – now they seek political power to undermine existing political systems, Sánchez warns.

He mentioned Peter Thiel – a billionaire and former CEO of PayPal.

Peter Thiel openly admitted in an interview that tech billionaires want to overthrow democracy because "they no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible."

And this freedom, Sánchez adds, implies that since they are wealthy, they believe they stand above the law.

"This is why tech billionaires want to overthrow democracy," Sánchez emphasized.

Background. As reported, the accounts of the German Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces are leaving Elon Musk's platform. Previously, several German and Austrian universities and research institutions had departed. This occurred after Musk openly supported the far-right party "Alternative for Germany."