European Union threatens social network with “sanctions”
With no promise kept and facing what appears to be censorship, the European Union is threatening to go on the offensive against Twitter. While a dozen American journalists were suspended from the social network on Thursday December 15, at the decision of its new boss Elon Musk, some European voices strongly condemned this decision and threatened the company with “penalties”Friday, December 16.
“Disturbing news about the arbitrary suspension of journalists on Twitter”, tweeted Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová. He recalled that the digital services law, which should apply to tech giants next summer, “demands respect for media freedom and fundamental rights”before warning Twitter :
“Elon Musk should know this. There are red lines. And penalties, as soon as possible”.
“Freedom of the press at the very foundation of democracy”
Condemnation of Mr Musk’s decision first came from across the Rhine. The German Foreign Ministry thus expressed its concern on Friday morning after this decision of the boss of the platform, in the direction of the journalists criticizing him. “Freedom of the press should not be turned on and off at convenience,” written by the chancellery on his Twitter accountabove the screenshot of suspended accounts. “For this reason, we have a problem with Twitter”, he added.
German government deputy spokesman Wolfgang Buechner also tweeted “a personal note”suppose that “Arbitrary suspension of journalist accounts on Twitter is unacceptable”. “If this evolution continues, I will leave this platform”he wrote, specifying that he has an account on the social network Mastodon and reminding the same thing happened to his government.
In France, the delegate minister in charge of industry Roland Lescure announced to suspend “everyone [son] activity on Twitter until further notice,” dawn. The Minister for Digital Transition, Jean-Noël Barrot, he also said “disturbed by the drift where Elon Musk is fueling Twitter”, added “ freedom of the press is the very foundation of democracy. An attack on one is an attack on the other..
On Thursday, a dozen American journalists were suspended from the social network. Among them are media workers such as CNN (Donie O’Sullivan), New York Times (Ryan Mac), Washington Post (Drew Harwell) and independent journalists. Some tweeted about Twitter’s decision Wednesday to suspend the account that automatically reported Elon Musk’s private jet rides.
CNN threatens to ‘re-evaluate’ its relationship with Twitter
Elon Musk, the source of much controversy and editorial backlash since he bought the social network in October, gave some indication of his decision in a flurry of tweets posted overnight from Thursday to Friday: “It’s okay to criticize me all day, but revealing my location in real time and putting my family in danger is not.” » Before adding: “The same rules apply to ‘journalists’ as to everyone else. »
“The impulsive and unjustified suspension of a number of reporters like one [du journaliste] CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan is disturbing but not surprising”reacted to the American news channel CNN in a press release. “Twitter’s growing instability and volatility is of particular concern to anyone who uses the platform. We’ve asked for an explanation on Twitter, and we’ll review our relationship based on that response.”CNN added.
“We hope that the accounts of all these journalists will be restored and that Twitter will provide a satisfactory explanation”said a spokesman for the New York TimesCharlie Stadtlander.
