Can the EU Confront Big Tech in the New Trump Era
As Trump returns, the EU faces pressure from Big Tech and must act decisively
EU, Big Tech, Trump, Zuckerberg, Musk, Digital Services Act
With Musk and Zuckerberg throwing around accusations of “censorship,” the EU really needs to step up its game. They’ve got some laws in place, but since Trump’s election win, they’ve been pretty quiet, probably to avoid ruffling feathers in Washington.
Even though Musk has been making headlines with his comments, the EU hasn’t said much. Ursula von der Leyen and her team have kept their lips sealed, especially about Musk’s upcoming chat with a far-right party in Germany. It seems like they’re trying not to escalate things further.
Experts think this silence might be a strategic move, but it’s definitely raising eyebrows. The EU did push back against Zuckerberg’s claims of censorship, insisting that freedom of expression is key to their Digital Services Act. But they didn’t really dive into Meta’s changes.
Meta has said they’re not planning to ditch their fact-checking in the EU just yet, but they’re reviewing their obligations. Meanwhile, the EU is keeping an eye on Musk’s activities, especially regarding his support for the far-right.
They’ve even launched a probe into X, Musk’s platform, but no big decisions have been made yet. It’s a tricky situation, and if the EU decides to take action against Musk, it could really heat things up.
Not everyone is thrilled with the EU’s approach. France is pushing for stronger action to protect its political space from outside influences, especially from Musk. They want the EU to either enforce its laws firmly or let member states handle it themselves.
Interestingly, the EU seems to be more aggressive with non-US companies. They recently opened an investigation into TikTok over allegations of interference in Romania’s elections. It’s a mixed bag, and the EU’s next moves will be closely watched.
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