Anne Applebaum

So I don't think I can emphasize enough how worried Europeans are about Musk, but also the broader problem that he represents of US social media companies changing the nature of politics in Europe. In a way, this article was a little bit inspired by the last conversation we had, which so much I no longer remember when that was.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

And you used an expression that I realized was the right one, which is, you know, U.S. elections are kind of Las Vegas, right? Anyone can spend as much money as they want. You can do it anonymously. You can give out million-dollar checks to people in Pennsylvania anonymously. You know, there's no rules, right? It's just a free-for-all. Okay, most European countries don't work like that.

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

Like, there are laws about funding and about transparency and about political advertising. Some of those countries have hate speech laws that they take very seriously, and they're related to their own history. You know, Germany has hate speech laws because they would like to prevent the Nazi party from rising to power again. You know, so they have these laws, and they're sovereign countries, right?

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

They're allowed to have laws. And hate speech laws, remember, protect the speech rights of people who have been doxxed or harassed as well. So it's not that they don't have free speech. Of course they do. In some ways, it's more free than ours because people aren't scared to speak out. But nevertheless, they have laws. So the question is, if U.S.

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?

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.