Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk accuse the European Union of protectionism and censorship as they press Donald Trump's administration to intervene. It defends its right to enforce EU rules on digital giants, but seems to hesitate to react decisively, fearing a deterioration in relations with the US.
As we read in the analysis of European Newsroom, after a wave of criticism from the heads of American technology companies, European Commission reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing EU rules on social media platforms.
Thomas Regnier, a spokesman for the European Commission, told journalists in Brussels on Tuesday that companies offering services in the EU, regardless of their origin or headquarters, must comply with EU legislation.
Penalties “almost like customs duty”
This happened after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused Europe of protectionism and censorship. In an interview on Joe Rogan's popular American podcast, Zuckerberg called out the president-elect USA Donald Trump to defend the largest American technology companies against EU sanctions.
Trump and ZuckerbergM. Badra/EPA/PAP, B. Cash/Newscom/PAP
Zuckerberg claimed that the EU has fined tech companies “over $30 billion over the last ten or 20 years,” arguing that its policies on the companies are “almost like tariffs.”
Zuckerberg echoed comments from Musk, X's owner and close Trump ally, who criticized the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU law regulating digital content and social media platforms.
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Brussels suspends legal arsenal
European Newsroom reported that Brussels denies Zuckerberg's allegations but has for now suspended its legal arsenal to attack the world's largest digital platforms, apparently for fear of angering the new US administration after Trump was elected president for a second time.
“Social media platforms play an important role in people's everyday lives, but they also have enormous socio-economic importance and impact,” wrote Henna Virkkunen, European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, on X.
“In Europe, we want to create a safe and fair digital environment,” she added, emphasizing that the EU's task is to ensure that citizens' rights are respected and the bloc's regulations are respected. However, the commissioner refrained from any direct reference to the head of Meta and from direct criticism of his company.
150 officials on the trail of law breakers
Zuckerberg's interview with Rogan came days after the Meta group announced it was ditching third-party fact-checking in the U.S. and moving to a model known as “Community Note,” popularized by X, where users themselves moderate and expose lies.
Meta's decision has also not met with any major reaction from the EC so far.
However, the Brussels authorities denied the accusations of Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for party German (AfD), in a conversation with Musk on X, which concerned the surveillance of their interactions on the platform by over a hundred EC officials.
Weidel said 150 EU officials would listen to her conversation with Musk “to enforce this absurd digital services law.” Musk said it was nothing more than censorship.
– This is not true – replied the Commission spokesman. About 150 staff are working on all aspects of enforcing EU digital services law, not just this one live broadcast, the Commission said.
Pressure on Brussels
Unlike the European Commission, MEPs, fearing that Trump's victory may cause Brussels to hesitate in enforcing new technology regulations, have increased pressure on the Commission.
French MEP Stephanie Yon-Courtin has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging Brussels “not to shake” under American pressure.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called on the Commission to either apply “with the greatest determination the laws we have given ourselves to protect our public spaces” or return the powers to EU member states to do so themselves.
Apple and X investigation
On US election day last year, news broke that Apple was to be fined under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), but sources close to the matter said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's office had frozen plans to fine the US giant out of concern any sanction could harm delicate transatlantic relations.
The contrast is striking for non-US companies. In December, the Commission opened an investigation into TikTok, owned by Chinese giant ByteDance, following allegations that the platform was used by Russia to influence the result of the presidential elections in Romania.
European regulators have also been investigating X since December 2023. However, Musk has support from other EU member states, and the Prime Minister ItalianGiorgia Meloni rejected criticism that Musk poses a threat to democracy.
– Is the problem (with Musk) that he is rich and influential, or that he is not left-wing? – Meloni told journalists at a press conference in Rome.
Zuckerberg gives up on verifiers
Last week, Mark Zuckerberg announced major changes to the policies of Facebook and Instagram. This includes abandoning the content verification program aimed at combating disinformation.
The billionaire also said that Meta will work with the Trump administration “to push back against governments around the world that are attacking American companies and pushing for more censorship.”
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