(LifeSiteNews) — The EU Commissioner for Internal Market has said that the EU can ban social media platforms in cases of civil unrest.
Thierry Breton said in an interview with France Info, “If there is hateful content, content that calls for rioting or killing, for example […] the [social media] platforms are obliged to delete it. If they fail to do so, they will be sanctioned immediately,” according to Heise Online.
“We have teams that can intervene immediately,” the Frenchman said. If those responsible do not act immediately, “then yes, we can not only impose a fine but also ban the operation” of the platforms “on our territory.”
Breton said that social media giants like TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. could be banned on the basis of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
The calls by globalists like Breton to ban social media in Europe come in response to the violent migrant riots in France that broke out after a 17-year-old French-Algerian was shot and killed by a policeman.
READ: Macron betrays French police as country burns in George Floyd-style protests
French President Emmanuel Macron has also suggested cutting off access to social media in response to the violence in the streets.
“We need to think about how young people use social networks, in the family, at school, the interdictions there should be… and when things get out of hand we may have to regulate them or cut them off,” Macron said in a meeting with over 250 mayors on July 4, the Guardian reported.
“Above all, we shouldn’t do this in the heat of the moment, and I’m pleased we didn’t have to. But I think it’s a real debate that we need to have in the cold light of day,” he continued.
After facing immense backlash from his political opposition, officials of the French government tried to backtrack Macron’s comments, saying that the president did not mean a “general blackout” of social media platforms but rather an “occasional and temporary” suspension of online networks.
On July 5, French legislators voted in favor of a justice reform bill that includes the possibility for police to spy on citizens by remotely turning on the microphone, camera, and GPS of mobile phones and other devices.
In the case of a major crisis like a war or pandemic, the EU Commission could force large social media platforms to remove content that is considered an “urgent threat,” according to Heise Online.
The EU will impose new restrictions on online platforms with over 45 million users on August 25, which will subject these big tech companies to stricter rules around “the distribution of illegal and harmful content,” Heise reports.
Platforms must submit an initial detailed assessment of their “greatest risks to users” to the EU Commission by then. They could otherwise face fines of up to 6 percent of their global revenue. Breton announced that the commission would conduct a relevant “stress test” on TikTok next week. This will examine whether the operator is prepared to comply with the new requirements. Other social media companies like Meta and Twitter will reportedly also undergo these stress tests soon.