Under the code, online platforms agree to review two-thirds of takedown requests within 24 hours and better transparency over hate speech, the Commission said in a Monday press release. It also sets out a “clear methodology” for “monitoring reporters” – which can be civil society groups or public authorities – to flag problematic material and … Read more
Attendance, liveliness and relevance In this trial, the president or vice president steering the session will be able to choose on the spot who speaks once the first round of speakers on behalf of each group, usually the group chairs, have opened the debate. According to the email, which was circulated Thursday, that means “members … Read more
Yet, the far-right effort may stymie a push to rein in Big Tech platforms that’s failed so far to live up to its promise. Vandendriessche said this agenda “is completely outdated in a changing world” as “the U.S. is going in the opposite direction.” “Free speech seems to have become a threat for state censors,” … Read more
The early exchanges in the live audio discussion on Musk’s X social media platform were eclectic, ranging from solar power to the vagaries of Germany business red tape. The pair laughed together, when Weidel asked if Musk understood how burdensome German business rules could be. “As a matter of fact I do,” he replied, describing … Read more
“In the EU,” the statement stressed, “any ban of digital services can be considered as a last resort and in relation to an infringement of the transparency and accountability obligations of the law, not in response to individual issues and pieces of online content.” The EU is conducting its own investigation under the Digital Services … Read more
Across Europe, teaming up with Weidel is seen as an inflammatory step as members of her populist and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party have for years been accused of whitewashing and trivializing Nazi crimes. The AfD is currently polling second. French President Emmanuel Macron was quick to accuse Musk of having gone too far … Read more
Flattery from Macron Musk hasn’t yet thrown his endorsement behind Marine Le Pen and the French far right. But President Macron — who, like Scholz in Germany, is politically fragile and facing domestic turbulence — is desperate to get him onside. He has been urging the tech entrepreneur, alongside Trump, to attend a major artificial … Read more
One of the most politically sensitive topics in Brussels, the €1.2 trillion budget governs spending on anything from support to Ukraine to film subsidies. Hawkish Eastern European and Nordic countries including Poland and Sweden are keen to boost EU spending on defense, while Southern ones such as Italy and Greece would like more cash to … Read more
The new step follows the release of the declassification of Romanian intelligence documents on Wednesday, which alleged that paid influencers had boosted the account of ultranationalist Călin Georgescu in the lead-up to the first round of the Romanian presidential election. The decision should help “investigators establish the facts,” said Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s new … Read more
“Romania is a warning bell: Radicalisation and disinformation can happen all over Europe with harmful consequences,” added Hayer, an ally of French President Emmanuel Macron. Hayer’s appeal comes only two days after Georgescu’s shock victory. He had no party backing and polls had failed to pick up on his popularity — though researchers are now … Read more
