EU warns Elon Musk over Twitter moderation plans

The EU warned Musk that if he didn't comply with the new digital rules he would face fines or even a ban.

According to the Financial Times, the EU's commissioner for the internal market told them that Musk must follow rules on moderation of illegal and harmful content on the internet.

We welcome everyone, said Breton. We are open but not always. We know what to say to Elon. You are welcome, but these are the rules. It's not your rules that will apply here.

Musk's use of the platform to attack regulators and critics could transform him into a social media baron, given that millions of people rely on the platform for news.

He said on Monday that free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy and that the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.

The comments from Breton, one of Europe's most influential digital regulators, come just days after the EU signed off on a new piece of legislation that will force Big Tech to more aggressively police content online.

Republican politicians in the US are hopeful that the deal could pave the way after Musk outlined plans to loosen the social media platform's content moderation policies.

He wanted to give Musk's plans for less stringent moderation a reality check. The EU commissioner warned that a ban on the platform in Europe was possible if there was not enough compliance.

Anyone who wants to benefit from this market will have to follow our rules. If it operates in Europe, the board will have to make sure that it complies with its own rules for hate speech, revenge porn and harassment.

If they don't comply with the law, there will be sanctions and they will be banned from operating in Europe.

The Digital Services Act requires the like of Twitter to tell regulators how they are tackling content such as war propaganda. The rules are part of a bigger push by the EU to limit the power of large online platforms.

The Digital Markets Act was unveiled by the EU last month and is intended to curb the power of big tech.

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