The EU and the US take different stances on how Facebook, Twitter and Google should police online content.

This is not the first time that the U.S. and Europe have seen things differently on digital. This latest spat runs much deeper. It goes to basic principles of freedom of speech, the role of social media companies in democracies, and what limits these firms should place on public debate. And in all three areas, the U.S. and Europe are more apart than ever. While Trump tries to regulate as few as possible, in Europe, meanwhile, the debate is about how to police more, not less.
Trump wants social media companies to be neutral players — allowing almost anyone to post what they like, when they like, how they like. But this stance, runs directly opposite to what policymakers in Europe are now demanding from the same tech giants. Brussels and European national capitals have responded to the barrage of hateful online messages, government-backed misinformation and extremist content with legislation that forces tech firms to make more, not fewer, editorial decisions about content posted on their global networks. In this transatlantic standoff, social media companies are stuck between a rock and a hard place. In either case, they will be jeopardizing one of their largest commercial markets.


Author: Mark Scott

https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-twitter-social-media-europe/