'Freedom of speech must not be abused to justify disinformation and hate speech', says S&D Group president

Elon Musk's political interference in UK and German politics, as well as Meta’s decision to remove fact checking in the US, not only illustrate the danger that our democracies face, but are also signs of things to come. What, not so long ago, seemed to be an opportunity to connect people and strengthen our societies has today become a dangerous weapon for promoting hate and misinformation in the hands of Big Tech oligarchs, who only look after their profit.

Contrary to what Meta or X’s CEOs have recently claimed, EU tech legislation aims at finding a balance between protecting democratic processes and preserving fundamental rights such as the freedom of expression. Legislating does not mean censoring; rather it guarantees that the rights and freedoms of every single citizen are protected when it comes to preserving their privacy, protecting them against online harassment or misinformation.

At the initiative of the Socialists and Democrats, the members of the European Parliament are debating the role of EU’s tech legislation – the Digital Services Act – to protect our democracies against foreign interference and the power of Big Tech oligarchs.

S&D Group President Iratxe García Pérez (pictured) said: “Electoral interference and manipulated social media algorithms are a direct threat to our European values. In recent months, we have seen how Elon Musk and his social network X have become the main promoter for the far right by supporting Donald Trump and Alice Weidel through fake news and hate messages. We have also witnessed Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to remove fact-checking programs on Meta as an act of complicity with lies and manipulation.

“The Commission’s silence in the face of this threat is unacceptable. Inaction is not neutrality; it is complicity. As the European Union, we have to live up to what our citizens demand from us: to be an example of determination and leadership. It is not enough to legislate or to denounce. We must ensure the effective application of our rules and we must sanction those who break the rules.

“Throughout the past mandate we have developed the Digital Services Regulation – an EU law that provides us with clear tools, including significant fines, to fight disinformation, hate speech or illegal content online. It is time to implement it without any delay! At the same time, we must boost European social networks and we must urgently adopt the Directive on liability in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

“We do not accept Mark Zuckerberg's accusations of censorship. Contrary to what Big Tech oligarchs claim, the freedom of expression is a pillar of our democracies, and should not be a playground for manipulation and hate as they are trying to promote. Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to misinform and it cannot justify any lie aiming to destroy societies and instigating divisions. History has shown us the dangers of propaganda and manipulation. It was not so long ago that the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century used massive lies to justify wars, genocides, and oppression. For the Socialists and Democrats, the truth is not negotiable.”

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