Those wanting to earn money in Europe must comply with EU law

“The defence of our democracy has been and will remain a key fight for the European People’s Party. The EPP Group has been pushing for strong enforcement of the Digital Services Act to protect democracies, to counter misinformation and interference while upholding freedom of speech," says Andreas Schwab MEP, EPP Group Spokesman on the Internal Market, ahead of today’s debate on enforcing EU digital rules to protect democracy online.

The EPP Group welcomes the three recent additional technical investigatory measures into X relating to the platform's recommender system, announced by the European Commission’s Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen.

“It is essential to ensure that individual opinions are not amplified by bots or algorithmic bias. Everyone has the right to express their opinion. However, in the EU, freedom of expression does not include the right for platform owners to do as they please. There is no freedom of expression without plurality,” Schwab stresses.

“We need to ensure that sanctions are taken without hesitation when violations are confirmed. Social media should not be used to foster polarisation and undermine European democracies. If companies running large platforms - such as X, Meta or TikTok - are found to be breaking the rules and failing to act to mitigate risks related to information manipulation, referral systems, advertising transparency and access to data, the EU must act swiftly," Schwab continues.

Without democracy, there would be no European Union, and without the rule of law, democracy would be impossible. The EPP Group will support a Democracy Shield, which will include pilot projects, to tackle disinformation in all Member States.

“We are not in the Wild West, where everything is allowed, and we are not the Chinese state that monitors everything. Freedom of speech applies, and it can be exhausting. But it does not include the right for every platform owner to do whatever,” Schwab concludes.