TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN
Platforms like Twitter or Tiktok could be completely blocked under the Digital Services Act, says the EU digital commissioner
The EU's Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton is not exactly known for his restraint and has even held out the prospect of a Europe-wide ban for platforms such as Twitter or Tiktok if they fail to implement the rules of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Now the former head of France Telecom is threatening to shut down all platforms in the event of social unrest. According to the statement, the EU Commission could have access to social networks such as Tiktok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat completely blocked on the basis of the DSA if the operators do not take action against illegal content during social unrest. Breton stated this in an interview with French news channel France Info on Monday.
Breton: "If there is hateful content, content that calls for an uprising or for killing or lighting cars, for example, the platforms are obliged to delete them. If they don't, they will be sanctioned immediately", reports "Heise" citing the broadcaster.
Breton is on the line with French President Emmanuel Macron. In France there are repeated riots and riots as a result of a fatal shot by a police officer at a 17-year-old in the Paris area. Macron also presented a possible social media ban or at least restrictions on use to local politicians in the previous week: "We have to think about the use of these networks by young people" and also consider bans.
Shortly thereafter, the French government tried to backtrack after media made comparisons between Macron's statements and state censorship in China and Iran, and criticism had also been voiced from its own party. The President merely said that it was technically possible to restrict access to social media, not that he was planning access restrictions, said French Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot opposite "Politico.
Breton announced that the Commission would conduct a "stress test" at Tiktok next week to examine the extent to which the company was able to comply with the new rules. Twitter has already carried out a test. Meta has agreed to complete the test later this month. ( nez, July 11, 2023 )
When the protests in Iran peaked in September 2022, the regime took a drastic measure: it blocked the Internet. Protestants and opponents of the regime should no longer be able to organize themselves via platforms such as Twitter or Tiktok or be able to avoid the access of the moral police through early warnings.
In Russia, since the war of aggression against Ukraine began, people should not know which war crimes are committed by their own troops in Ukraine, so Facebook and Twitter were blocked. There was unrest in France at the end of June after the 17-year-old Nahel was shot during a traffic control in a Paris suburb. This resulted in riots and protests against police violence.
According to Thierry Breton, the EU internal market commissioner, social media such as Twitter, Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram would have been blocked during the unrest. He gave that in one Interview with the French television station France Info frankly too. The call to light cars was already sufficient to block online services, said Breton, putting a measure in the room that is only known from the most authoritarian regimes in the world.
Breton is even legally wrong, because the DSA only provides that social networks have to "limit" threats. Say: Calls for violence, hate speech or discriminatory content must be deleted. Mains locks are not provided.
It is not the first time that the "Bulldozer from Brussels" ( Copyright: "Politico" ) has proven to be little fogged up in network policy issues. Breton acts like a unguided missile in digital politics. He recently wanted under the euphemistic "Fair Share " tax the major providers such as Google and Netflix and make this income available to the providers. An ambiguous proposal that would have made all Internet services more sensitively expensive for Europeans. Again Breton himself was damaged: as ex-chief of French Telekom, he was not entirely wrongly accused of lobbying for the telecommunications industry as the most powerful EU commissioner.
There must be sharpest protest against such ideas. If you follow social media, you will notice that it is already being organized –, it will probably be organized via Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and Tiktok. It's a good thing. ( Peter Zellinger, July 11, 2023 )
Platforms like Twitter or Tiktok could be completely blocked under the Digital Services Act, says the EU digital commissioner
The EU's Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton is not exactly known for his restraint and has even held out the prospect of a Europe-wide ban for platforms such as Twitter or Tiktok if they fail to implement the rules of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Now the former head of France Telecom is threatening to shut down all platforms in the event of social unrest. According to the statement, the EU Commission could have access to social networks such as Tiktok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat completely blocked on the basis of the DSA if the operators do not take action against illegal content during social unrest. Breton stated this in an interview with French news channel France Info on Monday.
Breton: "If there is hateful content, content that calls for an uprising or for killing or lighting cars, for example, the platforms are obliged to delete them. If they don't, they will be sanctioned immediately", reports "Heise" citing the broadcaster.
Violent ban debate in France
The 68-year-old said that there are teams that can intervene immediately. If those responsible for the social media platforms did not act immediately, then not only could one impose a fine, but also ban the operation of the platform in the EU, said Breton in the conversation.Breton is on the line with French President Emmanuel Macron. In France there are repeated riots and riots as a result of a fatal shot by a police officer at a 17-year-old in the Paris area. Macron also presented a possible social media ban or at least restrictions on use to local politicians in the previous week: "We have to think about the use of these networks by young people" and also consider bans.
Macron wants to "cut" networks"
Because social media is changing the way young people deal with reality, the French president told 250 mayors in the Élysée Palace and called for sanctions against the platforms. If necessary, access to the networks must be "cut off", as Macron said.Shortly thereafter, the French government tried to backtrack after media made comparisons between Macron's statements and state censorship in China and Iran, and criticism had also been voiced from its own party. The President merely said that it was technically possible to restrict access to social media, not that he was planning access restrictions, said French Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot opposite "Politico.
New ban fantasies
So far, the Digital Services Act has never mentioned access restrictions for online platforms. In the event of threats to public security or health, the Commission can require very large platforms to "limit" urgent threats on its platforms, as the DSA says. However, these special measures are limited to three months.New rules from the end of August
19 so-called very large online platforms, including Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter, must start at 25. August meet new legal requirements. This is intended to curb the spread of illegal and harmful content. Platforms with more than 45 million users in the EU must also provide the Commission with an initial detailed assessment of their greatest risks to users. The room is fined up to six percent of global sales if they do not meet the requirements.Breton announced that the Commission would conduct a "stress test" at Tiktok next week to examine the extent to which the company was able to comply with the new rules. Twitter has already carried out a test. Meta has agreed to complete the test later this month. ( nez, July 11, 2023 )
An EU commissioner of all people endangers freedom of the network
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton represents ideas that are reminiscent of Iran, China and Russia and unworthy of the European ideaWhen the protests in Iran peaked in September 2022, the regime took a drastic measure: it blocked the Internet. Protestants and opponents of the regime should no longer be able to organize themselves via platforms such as Twitter or Tiktok or be able to avoid the access of the moral police through early warnings.
In Russia, since the war of aggression against Ukraine began, people should not know which war crimes are committed by their own troops in Ukraine, so Facebook and Twitter were blocked. There was unrest in France at the end of June after the 17-year-old Nahel was shot during a traffic control in a Paris suburb. This resulted in riots and protests against police violence.
According to Thierry Breton, the EU internal market commissioner, social media such as Twitter, Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram would have been blocked during the unrest. He gave that in one Interview with the French television station France Info frankly too. The call to light cars was already sufficient to block online services, said Breton, putting a measure in the room that is only known from the most authoritarian regimes in the world.
A disservice to the Union
Breton not only proved French President Emmanuel Macron, but also the EU a disservice – and he himself was badly damaged with his authoritarian tendencies. Macron had told 250 mayors the previous week that social media bans had to be considered. The outrage was also enormous in its own ranks, the French government struggled to put its boss's sagers into perspective and rowed back at a rapid pace. Then Breton came and spoke – without need – again of a ban on Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok and Co.An error about your own rules
The EU Commission is only getting Breton in trouble with its ban fantasies. It just seemed as if the Union had succeeded in creating a set of rules with the Digital Markets Act ( DMA ) and the Digital Services Act ( DSA ), does not repeat the old mistake of over-regulation and at the same time makes the digital giants responsible. All of this construction work was in vain when Breton claims that it is possible to turn off entire platforms within the DSA because, for example, someone is taking a tweet calling for a protest against police violence.Breton is even legally wrong, because the DSA only provides that social networks have to "limit" threats. Say: Calls for violence, hate speech or discriminatory content must be deleted. Mains locks are not provided.
It is not the first time that the "Bulldozer from Brussels" ( Copyright: "Politico" ) has proven to be little fogged up in network policy issues. Breton acts like a unguided missile in digital politics. He recently wanted under the euphemistic "Fair Share " tax the major providers such as Google and Netflix and make this income available to the providers. An ambiguous proposal that would have made all Internet services more sensitively expensive for Europeans. Again Breton himself was damaged: as ex-chief of French Telekom, he was not entirely wrongly accused of lobbying for the telecommunications industry as the most powerful EU commissioner.
The EU is a role model for the world
The world is looking forward to the EU. The regulation of large online platforms and the upcoming regulations should be considered a blueprint for similar laws worldwide and pave the way for a secure digital future. What is the Commissioner responsible doing? He puts the EU in line with Russia, China and Iran. Breton not only damaged itself, but questioned the Union's freedom of the network.There must be sharpest protest against such ideas. If you follow social media, you will notice that it is already being organized –, it will probably be organized via Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and Tiktok. It's a good thing. ( Peter Zellinger, July 11, 2023 )
