Anne Applebaum

social media companies are still compatible with those laws, if you're able to pay secretly for advertising on Instagram or on X or on YouTube in ways that are not transparent, And if you're able to defy the laws of your country going around them using the social media companies, then are you still able to set the rules of your own elections? Like, do you get to have your own elections?

social media companies are still compatible with those laws, if you're able to pay secretly for advertising on Instagram or on X or on YouTube in ways that are not transparent, And if you're able to defy the laws of your country going around them using the social media companies, then are you still able to set the rules of your own elections? Like, do you get to have your own elections?

And increasingly, I think Europeans fear that they don't. Twitter and Facebook and, you know, and these other companies are setting the, you know, American companies based in Silicon Valley who do not have our interests at heart. and who don't care about social cohesion in France or about the rule of law in Germany. They are setting the rules for our national debate and that's unfair.

And increasingly, I think Europeans fear that they don't. Twitter and Facebook and, you know, and these other companies are setting the, you know, American companies based in Silicon Valley who do not have our interests at heart. and who don't care about social cohesion in France or about the rule of law in Germany. They are setting the rules for our national debate and that's unfair.

And increasingly, I think Europeans fear that they don't. Twitter and Facebook and, you know, and these other companies are setting the, you know, American companies based in Silicon Valley who do not have our interests at heart. and who don't care about social cohesion in France or about the rule of law in Germany. They are setting the rules for our national debate and that's unfair.

The Musk thing has added a special twist to it because we now have the leader of one of the social media companies Literally intervening in the German election, seeking to promote the far right party, holding an online event with the leader of that party, appearing at one of their rallies and saying Germans shouldn't worry so much about the Holocaust anymore.

The Musk thing has added a special twist to it because we now have the leader of one of the social media companies Literally intervening in the German election, seeking to promote the far right party, holding an online event with the leader of that party, appearing at one of their rallies and saying Germans shouldn't worry so much about the Holocaust anymore.

The Musk thing has added a special twist to it because we now have the leader of one of the social media companies Literally intervening in the German election, seeking to promote the far right party, holding an online event with the leader of that party, appearing at one of their rallies and saying Germans shouldn't worry so much about the Holocaust anymore.

I mean, he didn't use those exact words, but more or less saying time for Germans to forget about history. I mean, this is a this is such a huge violation of the spirit of fairness, given that, you You know, that's way beyond the reach of any single German newspaper. I mean, even the biggest, largest ones. And so, you know, the question is, is that fair? And so they do have some tools to regulate.

I mean, he didn't use those exact words, but more or less saying time for Germans to forget about history. I mean, this is a this is such a huge violation of the spirit of fairness, given that, you You know, that's way beyond the reach of any single German newspaper. I mean, even the biggest, largest ones. And so, you know, the question is, is that fair? And so they do have some tools to regulate.

I mean, he didn't use those exact words, but more or less saying time for Germans to forget about history. I mean, this is a this is such a huge violation of the spirit of fairness, given that, you You know, that's way beyond the reach of any single German newspaper. I mean, even the biggest, largest ones. And so, you know, the question is, is that fair? And so they do have some tools to regulate.

And I wrote about this in the piece. And there's a thing called the Digital Services Act, which could be applied to X and to other forms of social media. And the main goal of them, let me make it clear, is not censoring them, but is forcing them to be more transparent. So you could say we need some insight into the algorithm. We want to know.

And I wrote about this in the piece. And there's a thing called the Digital Services Act, which could be applied to X and to other forms of social media. And the main goal of them, let me make it clear, is not censoring them, but is forcing them to be more transparent. So you could say we need some insight into the algorithm. We want to know.

And I wrote about this in the piece. And there's a thing called the Digital Services Act, which could be applied to X and to other forms of social media. And the main goal of them, let me make it clear, is not censoring them, but is forcing them to be more transparent. So you could say we need some insight into the algorithm. We want to know.

We want data on what is promoted and what is not promoted. We want users to have access to that data because free speech is also about, you know, knowledge and having access to information. If you're going to be an informed citizen, you should know why is the algorithm giving you X or Y.

We want data on what is promoted and what is not promoted. We want users to have access to that data because free speech is also about, you know, knowledge and having access to information. If you're going to be an informed citizen, you should know why is the algorithm giving you X or Y.

We want data on what is promoted and what is not promoted. We want users to have access to that data because free speech is also about, you know, knowledge and having access to information. If you're going to be an informed citizen, you should know why is the algorithm giving you X or Y.

Right. There's another discussion and I don't know enough about where it is going and I'm not privy to any information.

Right. There's another discussion and I don't know enough about where it is going and I'm not privy to any information.

Right. There's another discussion and I don't know enough about where it is going and I'm not privy to any information.