Germany’s digital affairs minister claimed on Twitter that Elon Musk agreed to target “disinformation” on the platform, which would be problematic for free speech.
The German Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissing claimed Twitter owner Elon Musk had agreed to restrictions on “disinformation” until pro-censorship European Union (EU) legislation comes into force. Such an agreement could do further damage to the already precarious state of online free speech in Europe. But more troublesome is Musk’s apparent agreement to censor speech even before such legislation takes effect.
Wissing tweeted Jan. 4 from his verified account (Twitter’s translation), “Thank you @elonmusk for a constructive conversation in San Francisco. My stance is clear: the platforms’ commitment to #D[i]sinformation must be strictly adhered to until #DSA comes into force. Elon Musk agreed with me.” The tweet included a selfie of Musk and Wissing.
Wissing claimed in a December interview that Musk’s leadership of Twitter concerned him, according to Reclaim the Net. The DSA is the acronym for the Digital Services Act, a piece of European Union (EU) legislation that pushes increased censorship online, as Reclaim the Net noted.
The EU website says, “The Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act aim to create a safer digital space where the fundamental rights of users are protected and to establish a level playing field for businesses.” But that’s a glaringly deceptive description. MRC Free Speech America emphasized previously how dangerous the DSA and DMA are to free speech. The DSA will target “illegal” content online, while the DMA will focus on regulating Big Tech giants. EU leaders aim to use the DSA and DMA to crush alleged “fake news” and “disinformation” on social media.
The left routinely uses “disinformation” removal as an overused catch-all excuse to censor free speech.
The EU has pushed the U.S. to follow its draconian example before, including when an EU commissioner made specific demands of Musk. EU commissioner Thierry Breton demanded in November that Musk increase content moderators in Europe.
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