EU tells Musk: Play ‘by our rules’

A top EU official Saturday warned new Twitter owner Elon Musk to adhere to the European Union’s “rules” ostensibly referring to the government’s strict restrictions on speech. 

After Musk tweeted Friday that “the bird is freed” referring to his takeover of the company a day before, European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton responded, “In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules.” 

Breton also included the hashtag “#DSA” referring to the EU’s Digital Services Act which requires social media platforms to take swift measures to censor “harmful content”. 

EU MEP Rob Roos, one of the architects of Digital Services Act, responded by criticizing the DSA. 

“I was a negotiator on this #DSA file and I opposed the final agreement,” the MEP tweeted. “Too much power for #BigTech is dangerous. But too much power for government technocrats is just as bad.” 

Other officials slammed Breton’s tweet, with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage commenting, “Their arrogance knows no bounds.” 

Nevertheless, Musk replied to Breton, “I agree with everything you said." 

In April, when the billionaire first announced his bid to purchase Twitter, Breton was quick to issue Musk a similar demand that he complies with EU “rules”. 

“We welcome everyone,” EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry 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.’”  

Breton then threatened Musk with penalties if he does not comply adequately.  

“Anyone who wants to benefit from this market will have to [fulfill] our rules,” Breton said. “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 per cent of the revenue and, if they continue, banned from operating in Europe,” he added. 

Some European countries have been quick to embrace censorship in an effort to promote “online safety” and curb “hate speech”. 

Germany, the EU’s largest economy, now investigates German citizens for criticizing officials, as reported by Frontline News.  

In what it called a “day of action,” the German government conducted investigations on 100 of its political opponents in March even conducting raids on homes and apartments. The crime, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), was insulting German officials online.  

Furthermore, Germany’s Ministry of Interior notified the public that citizens who approve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be prosecuted. Also, any German found using the “Z” symbol online, an abbreviation for the Russian words meaning “for victory,” will likewise be prosecuted.   

“Russia’s war of aggression against #Ukraine is a criminal offense,” read the notice. “Anyone publicly approving the war may be liable to prosecution in Germany. This applies to using the ‘Z’ symbol, too. German security authorities are keeping an eye on the use of the symbol. - Ministry of Interior.”