The European Union has issued a warning to Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), ahead of his scheduled interview with former U.S. President Donald Trump. The interview, set to take place on Monday evening at 8 PM Eastern Time (0000 GMT Tuesday), will be accessible to users within the EU, prompting a warning from EU officials about the potential spread of "harmful content."
Thierry Breton, the EU’s Commissioner for Internal Market, sent a letter to Musk reminding him of his obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA mandates that large digital platforms, such as X, take proactive measures to combat "illegal content and disinformation." Breton's letter specifically referenced the "risk of amplification of potentially harmful content" in connection with the high-profile interview.
Breton emphasized that the DSA's requirements apply to the entire user community on X, including Musk himself, who has a substantial following on the platform. "With great audience comes greater responsibility," Breton wrote.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino pushed back against Breton's letter, calling it an "unprecedented attempt" to extend European regulations to political activities in the United States. She argued that the EU's actions patronize European citizens by suggesting they are incapable of forming their own opinions based on the content they consume.
