European Commission: Trump Twitter ban 'dangerous for free speech'

Vice President of the European Commission Vera Jourova has joined the chorus of those calling for tighter regulation of social media companies in the wake of US President Donald Trump's ban from several platforms, Politico reported.

“Even though I believe President Trump’s irresponsible incitement to violence deserved action, it is clear that we cannot continue like this,” Jourová told Brussels Playbook on Wednesday. “The fact that they [Big Tech firms] can silence a sitting US president based on unclear criteria and without oversight can be dangerous for free speech.”

Jourová advocated for “tougher regulation, more enforceable obligations and increased responsibility of digital players."

The EU’s recently announced Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act “will increase accountability of online platforms and clarify the rules for taking down illegal content,” Jourová argued — but even if they are “ground-breaking proposals,” they will “need time to become a reality, and we need to act now.”