As the European Union tightens its stance against Big Tech, days after the EU AI Act was implemented, governments and institutions are distancing themselves from platforms they believe undermine democratic values while ramping up enforcement. Officials have called for fines, sanctions, and even the creation of a European alternative to US-dominated social media. During a […]
As the European Union tightens its stance against Big Tech, days after the EU AI Act was implemented, governments and institutions are distancing themselves from platforms they believe undermine democratic values while ramping up enforcement.
Officials have called for fines, sanctions, and even the creation of a European alternative to US-dominated social media.
During a recent European Parliament debate on the enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), Spanish Socialist MEP Laura Ballarín called for decisive action against major tech companies that fail to comply with EU regulations.
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Addressing Musk and Zuckerberg directly, she declared: “In Europe, we have a market of millions of users that provide money to your companies, but we also love protecting our citizens and our democracies by making laws.”
“If you don’t like it, you can always take your Nazi salutes and your ‘masculine energy’ and go back home,” she said in response to Elon Musk’s widely condemned actions during a recent speech, and Mark Zuckerberg’s assertion that businesses need more “masculine energy” to succeed, a statement many saw as a backlash against diversity and inclusion efforts.
Governments leave X
Ballarín’s remarks come when some government institutions are reconsidering their presence on social media platforms that fail to moderate harmful content.
The City Council of Barcelona announced it is scaling back its presence on X (formerly Twitter), citing concerns over misinformation.
In a statement posted to Instagram, the council declared: “The Barcelona City Council is leaving the social network X. Nearly 80 municipal accounts will be closed, with only one remaining, dedicated solely to emergency information, weather alerts, and mobility disruptions.”
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It adds, “This decision stems from our commitment to the right of citizens to receive truthful and honest information.”
This move follows similar actions from other governmental bodies worldwide. In the UK, Labour MP Josh Simons criticised the British government’s reliance on X, warning that Elon Musk manipulates the platform’s algorithm for political and personal gain.
In Scotland, First Minister John Swinney described X as “a platform for hate.”
Beyond Europe, other governmental agencies have also withdrawn from or significantly reduced their reliance on X. In the US, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stopped posting on the platform after being labelled as “state-affiliated media” by Musk’s X.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) followed suit, objecting to similar designations. The Victorian Department of Families, Fairness, and Housing in Australia announced its departure from X, citing concerns over the platform’s moderation policies and commitment to factual information.
Additionally, several UK police forces, including West Midlands Police and Lancashire Police, have stopped engaging with X due to the proliferation of misinformation and extremist content.
In early January, Germany’s foreign and defence ministries stated they would refocus their public communications away from X, citing growing dissatisfaction with the platform’s developments.
The defence ministry expressed increasing “unhappiness” with X’s trajectory, while Musk has been accused of meddling in European politics. Since September, he has called for the replacement of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, labelled German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool,” and urged a vote for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The X-odus also includes NGOs and academic institutions. On January 20, coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration, over 80 French NGOs and organisations withdrew from X, describing its owner, Elon Musk, as a “danger” to freedom of expression and democratic values.
Among the signatories of an open letter published in Le Monde are La Ligue des droits de l’Homme (the Human Rights League), France Terre d’asile, Emmaüs France, and Greenpeace. Their statement acknowledges the loss of a communication channel but warns that X has become “a serious danger” to respect and dignity.
Meta’s content moderation rollback
Elsewhere, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has made sweeping changes to its content moderation policies, scrapping its fact-checking program and removing protections for vulnerable groups.
The platform has also loosened hate speech restrictions, allowing derogatory content, including language targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.
This decision has drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups such as GLAAD and the Molly Rose Foundation, which warn that these changes could increase harmful content.
The European Union is preparing to take action. The DSA, which came into force last year, requires large social media platforms to remove illegal content and mitigate the spread of disinformation.
European lawmakers now call for swift enforcement, urging fines and sanctions against non-compliant companies.
Ballarín and others are also pushing for greater European technological autonomy, including the development of a continent-wide social media platform that would operate independently of US-based tech giants.
