Tech titans clash with EU over alleged censorship and fines
Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk accuse the EU of protectionism and censorship, urging Donald Trump's administration to intervene. The European Commission defends its right to enforce EU regulations concerning digital giants.
After facing a wave of criticism from leaders of American tech companies, the European Commission confirmed its commitment to enforcing EU regulations regarding social media platforms. Thomas Regnier, a spokesperson for the European Commission, 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 occurred after Meta's head, Mark Zuckerberg, accused Europe of protectionism and "censorship." In an interview on the popular American podcast Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to defend the largest American tech companies from EU sanctions.
Zuckerberg claimed that the EU had imposed fines of "more than $30 billion over 10–20 years" on tech companies, arguing that its policy towards these companies is "almost like a tariff." Indeed, EU institutions have levied billions of euros in fines against Facebook's parent company, Meta, for violating data protection and competition regulations in recent years.
Zuckerberg reiterated comments made by Musk, owner of X and a close ally of Trump, who criticized the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU law regulating digital content and social media platforms.
Brussels monitors the situation
According to European Newsroom, Brussels rejects Zuckerberg's accusations but has so far suspended its legal arsenal aimed at targeting the world's largest digital platforms, apparently out of fear of angering the new American administration after Trump was elected president for a second time.
Henna Virkkunen, European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, on wrote on X that "social media platforms play an important role in people's daily lives, but they also have a huge social and economic importance and influence." "In Europe, we want to create a digital environment that is safe and fair," she added, emphasizing that it is the EU's responsibility to ensure that citizens' rights are respected and that the bloc's regulations are followed. However, the Commissioner refrained from making any direct reference to Meta's head or any direct criticism of his company.
Zuckerberg's interview with Rogan took place a few days after the Meta group announced it was abandoning third-party fact-checking in the U.S. and transitioning to a model known as "Community Note," popularized by X, where users themselves moderate and debunk falsehoods.
Meta's decision has not yet prompted a significant reaction from the European Commission.
However, Brussels authorities denied allegations made by Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, in a conversation with Musk on X, which concerned surveillance of their interactions on the platform by more than a hundred EU officials.
