Tech titans clash with EU over censorship and sanctions
Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are accusing the EU of protectionism and censorship, urging the Trump administration to intervene. The European Commission defends its right to enforce EU regulations concerning digital giants.
After facing criticism from American tech leaders, the European Commission reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing EU regulations regarding social media platforms. Thomas Regnier, an EC spokesperson, told journalists in Brussels that companies offering services in the EU, regardless of their origin or headquarters, must comply with EU legislation.
The billionaire accuses Europe of "censorship"
This came after the head of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, accused Europe of protectionism and "censorship." In an interview on the popular American podcast Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg called on the then US President-elect Donald Trump to defend America's largest tech companies from EU sanctions.
Zuckerberg claimed that the EU had imposed fines on tech companies totalling "more than $30 billion over 10–20 years," arguing that the policy towards these companies is "almost like a tariff." Indeed, EU institutions have imposed billions of euros in fines on Facebook's parent company, Meta, for breaching data protection and competition laws in recent years.
Zuckerberg echoed similar comments by Musk, owner of X and a close ally of Trump, who criticised the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU law regulating digital content and social media platforms.
Brussels observes the situation
As reported by European Newsroom, Brussels rejects Zuckerberg's allegations. However, for now, it has held back its legal arsenal from targeting the world's largest digital platforms, apparently fearing to anger the new US administration after Trump was elected president for a second time.
"Social media platforms play an important role in people's daily lives, but they also have a huge social and economic importance and influence," wrote on X Henna Virkkunen, European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty. "In Europe, we want to create a digital environment that is safe and fair," she added, emphasising that the EU's task is to ensure that citizens' rights are respected, and the bloc's regulations are followed. The Commissioner refrained from making any direct reference to the head of Meta or directly criticising his company.
Zuckerberg's interview with Rogan took place a few days after the Meta group announced it would be ditching third-party fact-checking in the US and switching to a model known as "Community Note," popularised by X, where users themselves moderate and expose falsehoods.
Meta's decision has also not yet met with a significant reaction from the EC.
However, Brussels authorities denied allegations made by Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), in conversation with Musk on X, regarding surveillance of their interactions on the platform by more than a hundred EC officials.
