WASHINGTON (TND) — Eighteen U.S. free speech advocates and groups on Wednesday condemned European Union Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Thierry Breton for chiding X owner Elon Musk, according to a letter acquired by The National Desk (TND).
Breton this month sent a letter to Musk demanding he comply with European Union digital law ahead of his interview with former President Donald Trump. That letter acknowledged the impending interview and urged Musk to remember the Digital Services Act (DSA), a European Union regulation addressing online disinformation hate speech.
“My services and I will be extremely vigilant to any evidence that points to breaches of the DSA and will not hesitate to make full use of our toolbox, including by adopting interim measures, should it be warranted to protect EU citizens from serious harm,” Breton wrote.
When responding to the letter via X, Musk included a meme instructing the reader to “take a big step back.”
The free speech advocates on Wednesday rebuked Breton for appearing to “disregard” free expression in favor of enforcing DSA.
“Your letter reflects an alarming disregard for freedom of expression,” the letter reads. “It is inconsistent with the design of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and, indeed, with the very spirit of a free and vibrant democratic culture. Your interpretation of the DSA will harm, not enhance, civic discourse, both in the European Union and globally.”
Breton’s enforcement of DSA, the letter argues, appears aimed at stifling debate amid the U.S. election cycle.
Warning an online platform that streaming an interview with one of the two key candidates in the United States presidential election may be incompatible with an online safety law is more characteristic of an autocratic nation than a democracy,” the letter reads. “The European Commission and national authorities should ensure that the DSA is not applied in a way that harms freedom of expression not only in Europe but globally.”
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The Future of Free Speech, which signed the letter, told TND Breton’s letter presents a major threat to free speech during such a crucial time in American democracy.
“Any attempt to weaponize the DSA against legitimate discourse and political speech poses a serious risk, not only in Europe but around the world,” Senior Research Fellow Jordi Calvet-Bademunt said. “While this law aims to create a safer online environment, it is crucial that we do not compromise our fundamental rights in the process.”
Musk previously engaged in a public spat with Breton over the way he moderates X. Breton in July alleged the site’s blue checkmark system is intended to deceive users, which violates DSA.
Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.
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