European Commission rejects Mark Zuckerberg censorship claims News
European Commission rejects Mark Zuckerberg censorship claims

The European Commission on Wednesday dismissed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s claim that European Union (EU) laws and regulations on online content amount to censorship of social media platforms.

European Commission Spokesperson Thomas Regnier affirmed: “We don’t ask any platform to remove any lawful content.” Regnier distinguished between illegal content and potentially harmful content, stating that the European Commission specifically describes the latter as “an in-between category.” To face the problem of potentially harmful content, the EU requests that platforms take measures that will mitigate any risks. Regnier emphasized that such measures are crucial to prevent harm to minors and democracy.

Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho concluded: “We absolutely refuse any claims of censorship on our side.”

The European Commission was responding to recent claims made by Zuckerberg in a video published by Meta on Tuesday. The Meta CEO proposed a series of changes to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to limit censorship, stating that “Europe has an ever-increasing number of laws institutionalizing censorship.” As a result, Zuckerberg said Meta would work with US President-elect Donald Trump to push back on governments going against American companies. According to his statement, these governments are pushing to increase censorship, requiring action to protect freedom of expression.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is the main instrument used by the EU to regulate online content. The European Commission has applied the rules of this regulation to Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) since August 2023. This includes platforms owned by Meta. For instance, the commission opened formal proceedings against Meta for potential violations of the DSA in April 2024. Moreover, as part of DSA mechanisms, the European Commission requested Facebook and Instagram provide information on their plans to update monitoring functionalities in August 2024. With this regulation, the EU seeks to protect fundamental rights and limit exposure to illegal content.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Standard Oil incorporated

On January 10, 1870, John Davison Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil. Rockefeller's corporation would grow to achieve a virtual monopoly over oil production in the United States. Standard Oil's dominance lasted until the corporation was split into 34 separate companies in 1911 after the Supreme Court found the company in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The rise of Standard Oil made Rockefeller America's first billionaire and eventually the richest man in the world. Read the text of Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey vs. United States, 221 U.S. 1 (1910).