EU confirms social media may be shut down to quell riots

The European Union Monday confirmed it may shut down social media in the event of riots in keeping with a new controversial law.

In a French radio interview this week, Internal Commissioner Thierry Breton confirmed recent remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting social media should be banned in the event of civil unrest.

"When there is hateful content, content that calls – for example – for revolt, that also calls for killing and burning of cars, [social media platforms] will be required to delete [the content] immediately," Breton said.

"If they fail to do so, they will be immediately sanctioned. We have teams who can intervene immediately," he said. "If they don't act immediately, then yes, at that point we'll be able not only to impose a fine but also to ban the operation [of the platforms] on our territory."

Such a ban will be legal come August 25th, when the EU’s Digital Services Act will be updated to include several measures forcing social media platforms to suppress information.

These include “demonetizing disinformation” which entails blocking those accused of disinformation from receiving advertising revenue. A social media user who questions the COVID-19 vaccine, for example, would be “demonetized”.

Tech companies will also be enjoined to give more authority to “fact-checkers,” increase transparency in political advertising, and create a “disinformation task force”.

For the time being, those measures form the voluntary Code of Practice on Disinformation to which the world’s largest social media platforms have promised to adhere. Only Twitter decided to break from the Code in May, a move that infuriated Breton.

“Twitter leaves EU voluntary Code of Practice against disinformation,” Breton tweeted angrily. “But obligations remain. You can run but you can’t hide. 

“Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be legal obligation under #DSA as of August 25. Our teams will be ready for enforcement.”

Breton has been irked by Musk on previous occasions, particularly by the billionaire’s free speech aims. In April 2022 when the Tesla CEO first announced his bid to purchase Twitter, Breton threatened Musk with penalties.

 “We welcome everyone,” Breton told the Financial Times in an interview. “We are open but on our conditions. At least we know what to tell him: ‘Elon, there are rules. You are welcome but these are our rules. It’s not your rules which will apply here.’”   

“Anyone who wants to benefit from this market will have to [abide by] our rules,” Breton added. “The board [of Twitter] will have to make sure that if it operates in Europe it will have to [fulfill] the obligations, including moderation, open algorithms, freedom of speech, transparency in rules, obligations to comply with our own rules for hate speech, revenge porn [and] harassment. If [Twitter] does not comply with our law, there are sanctions — 6 percent of the revenue and, if they continue, banned from operating in Europe,” he added. 

In October, the day after Musk purchased the social media company, Breton warned Musk again: “In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules.”