EU’s Digital Watchdog Demands Musk Moderate Content Ahead of Trump Interview

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton’s recent letter to Elon Musk regarding content moderation on X (formerly Twitter) has sparked controversy and raised concerns about potential election interference and freedom of speech.

In his letter, Breton reminded Musk of X’s obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly in light of the upcoming interview with former President Donald Trump. The commissioner emphasized the need for “timely, accurate, and complete” responses on how X is complying with DSA requirements to combat illegal content and disinformation.

With great audience comes greater responsibility #DSA

As there is a risk of amplification of potentially harmful content in 🇪🇺 in connection with events with major audience around the world, I sent this letter to @elonmusk

📧⤵️ pic.twitter.com/P1IgxdPLzn

— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) August 12, 2024

Since Musk took over X, he has emphasized the importance of free speech and solidified the platform’s stance on welcoming opinions from all sides of the political aisle. 

Conservatives and critics alike argue that this intervention by an EU official could be seen as an attempt to influence the U.S. election process.

The timing of the letter comes just hours before Musk and Trump are set to conduct a live interview on the platform; an interview with the goal of opening dialogue around the upcoming election that allows users to actively engage and ask questions of the republican nominee. 

Breton’s demands are sending users back to a pre-X world where Twitter was highly regulated, accounts were blocked and deleted, and users were ‘cancelled’ due to their political views. 

Breton’s push for content moderation via the DSA has raised questions about the balance between combating misinformation and preserving free expression, especially in the context of political speech in such a pivotal election year. 

As social media continues to play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and political discourse, the debate over content moderation, free speech, and the reach of international regulations is likely to intensify.

Musk has seemed unthreatened by the letter per his nonchalant retweet of Breton. A formal statement on how X intends to comply with the DSA standards presented by Breton has not been released.

The Musk-Trump interview is still set to be live on X at 8 pm Eastern Time today.