Elon Musk promised that Twitter will comply with European regulations for social media platforms under his leadership.
The acquisition of Twitter was recently completed for €44 billion. In recent weeks, Elon Musk suggested that freedom of expression is central to the platform’s future. European Commissioner Thierry Breton warned the new owner shortly after the acquisition.
Breton reminded Musk that the European Union has rules in place for publishing online content. Freedom of expression is no excuse for permitting illegal material. According to Reuters, Musk has since responded by promising that Twitter will comply with European legislation.
Twitter, Elon Musk and Europe
By his own admission, Musk did not acquire the platform for the money. Although the new owner confirmed zero to few details about Twitter’s future in recent months, freedom of speech is at the heart of the matter.
One possible consequence is a change in the way Twitter moderates content. Musk may choose to adjust the rules for banning users and removing content. The latter caught the attention of European Commissioner Thierry Breton. On Friday, The senior official warned the new owner about the Digital Services Act, a package of European rules concerning the moderation of online content.
The Digital Services Act requires large online platforms to find and remove illegal content, by, for example, employing a set number of moderators. According to Reuters, Musk recently responded to Breton’s warning by promising that Twitter will comply with the rules. Two insiders told Reuters that Musk will meet with Breton in the coming weeks to discuss the issue.
Positive
This is not the first time Breton and Musk meet. In May, Breton briefed Musk on the purpose and content of the Digital Services Act. First impressions were positive. “It fits pretty well with what you think we should do”, Breton said at the time. “I think it’s exactly aligned with my thinking”, Musk responded.
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