This could collide with Elon Musk’s free speech absolutism at Twitter, if he implements it. In any case, what are the chances that this law will be used to silence critics of the far-Left agenda? Oh, about 100%.
“European Union forces Big Tech to tamp down hate speech, disinformation,” by Kelvin Chan and Raf Casert, Associated Press, April 23, 2022:
BRUSSELS — Big tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta will have to police their platforms more strictly to better protect European users from hate speech, disinformation and other harmful online content under landmark EU legislation approved early Saturday.
European Union officials clinched the agreement in principle on the Digital Services Act after lengthy final negotiations that began Friday. The law will also force tech companies to make it easier for users to flag problems, ban online ads aimed at kids and empower regulators to punish noncompliance with billions in fines.
The Digital Services Act, one half of an overhaul for the 27-nation bloc’s digital rulebook, helps cement Europe’s reputation as the global leader in efforts to rein in the power of social media companies and other digital platforms.
“With the DSA, the time of big online platforms behaving like they are ‘too big to care’ is coming to an end,” said EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
EU Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager added that “with today’s agreement, we ensure that platforms are held accountable for the risks their services can pose to society and citizens.”
The act is the EU’s third significant law targeting the tech industry, a notable contrast with the U.S., where lobbyists representing Silicon Valley’s interests have largely succeeded in keeping federal lawmakers at bay….
Kenneth J Johnson says
I mistakenlky, thought the European UInion was to unite and represent all their members. Each country electes its reprsentatves How, then, can the EU assume authorfity ovefr their membefship?? KEN
Johnny B says
Here in Denmark we have a constitution which prohibits our politicians to hand over political power to external authorities. That is if they – our politicians – in fact respected our constitution, which they obviously don’t. For those of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear it’s very obvious they’re pushing towards a European Federation, which clearly is against the spirit of our constitution, so while they can explain away with advanced legal terms why the transfer of political power to Bruxelles is not – technically – against our constitution, I’m pretty sure they’ll have a hard time explaining how it all aligns with a future federation, which is where all this is going. It clearly doesn’t but who can stand up to this massive beast. Most of our politicians don’t dare stand up to it and many of them dream of retiring down there with some nice little political of administrative position, when the voters have become fed up with them and they are in danger of having to find a real job.
gravenimage says
Terrible, Johnny.
Johnny B says
Thanks for your comment.
Doomer says
It is clown world,but I agree ,but it is worse. According to GONZALO LIRA and ALEX MEROCURIS ( of The Duran) today, and they are reliable:
1. The governments of CANADA and the US are trying to introduce laws that would expropriate the property and bank accounts of people in those countries
who were born in Russia. Not if they have commited a crime,ONLY because they are Russian.
2. Why? They couldn’t say,but I think it is to Destroy TELEGRAM. Its Owner and Founder is a Libertarian
born and raised in Russia: PAVEL DUROV.
He created Telegram in 2013 and was chased out of Russia by Putin in 2014,he is anti-Putin.
3. Believe it or not,Telegram is allowed in Russia,and the anti-Putin Russians use it all the time to criticize the war in Ukraine( in Russian ).
Also,the Russian government uses Telegram for its SPUTNIK news.
4. Telegram has 500 MILLION users in total and you can see Conservative videos there, there is no censorship like Facebook,Youtube,Twitter.
gravenimage says
Actually, Telegram offers both Russian propaganda *and* other sources of news for the region. For instance, many Ukrainians abroad rely on Telegram for news of their country. Developer Pavel Durov is a libertarian and believes in freedom of speech.
Then, if Telegram *were* shut down, it would not mean an end to Russian propaganda, since Telegram is *not* generating this stuff.
The idea that the US and Canada are going after Telegram is baseless to begin with–Pavel Durov does not live in Canada or the US–he is currently a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and lives in the UAE. He is also a representative of Finland and was granted French citizenship last year. A truly international fellow; but one place he does not have citizenship is the US or Canada.
Doomer says
Here is more information on it, the proposed bill is called “Asset seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act ”
where 417 of the House of Representatives voted in favor,and 8 against.
It urges the president to “confiscate any property or accounts subject to the jurisdiction of the US,
valued over 2 million dollars,and belonging to Russian energy companies,
or to FOREIGN persons
whose wealth is derived in part through corruption linked to or
political support for the regime of Russian president Vladimir Putin”
Telegram’s owner and founder Pavel Durov has FOUR nationalities:
Russian,French,UA Emirates and St Kitts and Nevis.
No doubt the DEEP STATE and the NEOCONS and the Wokists can easily justify all the pro-Russia videos and comments in Telegram
as “political support for Putin”.
Of the 8 who voted AGAINST it, it is interesting to note that 3 were:
1. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE
2. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO CORTEZ
3. ILHAN OMAR
gravenimage says
Of course, there is nothing here indicating the anyone is targeting Telegram.
When called out, Doomer just hopes to distract.
somehistory says
the U.s. government has established a new “board”…because twitter was bought out by a guy who promises free speech…through the dhs, headed by a woman who supported the lies about Mr. Trump and russia, that will make sure that “disinformation” is not anywhere on the internet.
Of course, they get to decide what exactly qualifies as “disinformation.” they decided before that “stolen election,” “vaxx is not a vaccine,” “anything that is true about gender” etc. is disinformation.
gravenimage says
This sounds disturbing, Somehistory. Do you have more information?
libertyORdeath says
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/04/27/department-of-homeland-security-sets-up-disinformation-governance-board-to-fight-misinformation/
somehistory says
Thank you, liberty OR death…(I wrote just the initials, but that was not appropriate)…
I would have had to look it up.
somehistory says
Tucker’s show tonight is about this. the people who are doing it, speak about what they are doing.
and saying how they are targeting “the right” because of “highly emotional rhetoric.”
gravenimage says
Thank you, libertyORdeath and Somehistory.
Westman says
Yup, the proposed DHS, “Ministry Of Truth”, is Orwellian from stem to stern. You can’t make this stuff up.
Already, the radical leftist Noam Chomsky is being pushed aside for suggesting that the US government seems to want a proxy war with Russia, “to the last Ukranian”, instead of a settlement between warring parties, to feed its war weapons corporations.
Now the Right and the Left can expect to be muzzled, by government if outside its approved groupthink.
gravenimage says
I am *no* fan of the current administration, but demanding that Ukraine surrender and not dare defend herself against Russian invasion is actually pretty appalling.
They are not “warring parties”–Russia invaded Ukraine. This is like calling Nazi Germany and Poland “warring parties”. And any “agreement” between aggressors and their victims by definition favors aggression.
Infidel says
Musk should pull Twitter out of Europe, stating that their goals, and his of absolute free speech, are at odds and that Twitter would no longer operate in that space
libertyORdeath says
Maybe the EU should build its own Twitter.
Isn’t that what they told people who opposed their censorship campaign? “Go build your own social media company”
Wellington says
The EU is an enemy of liberty. One knows this or should know it. All the EU is is the UN in smaller form—and if by now one does not know that the UN is a mortal opponent of freedom and truth then that person is either an ignoramus or a liar.
Rest my case. For now. Will be back.
Westman says
Got my vote.
Pray Hard says
The EU is nothing but an extortion racket like Iris.
Pray Hard says
Odd that it was all OK until a conservative bought one, huh?
gravenimage says
European Union approves law forcing social media giants to stop ‘hate speech’ and ‘disinformation’
…………..
Just appalling. Who determines what constitutes “hates speech” and “disinformation”? Some faceless, unelected EU bureaucrats.