Brussels, Belgium — As Germany gears up for its upcoming national election, the European Commission is closely monitoring a scheduled discussion between Elon Musk and Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The discourse, set to unfold on Musk’s social media platform X on Thursday, raises concerns about potential misinformation proliferation amidst a pivotal electoral period.
The European Union’s enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) underscores its commitment to curbing illegal content, including hate speech and election manipulation. Since 2023, X has faced scrutiny under this legislation for possible illicit content distribution and its countermeasures against information manipulation.
In addition to his platform’s watch under the DSA, Musk has actively voiced his political endorsements, which have included controversial figures and parties. His overt support last year for Donald Trump’s U.S. presidential campaign was accompanied by backing the UK’s Reform party and Germany’s AfD, the latter through a post on X that miscredited traditional German parties and hailed the AfD as “the only hope for Germany.”
This endorsement garnered intense criticism, especially from the German political spectrum where the AfD is widely rejected by mainstream parties due to its extreme right-wing positions. The tension reached a peak when Musk openly criticized German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following a tragic incident in Magdeburg, calling him an “incompetent fool” and demanding his resignation.
The Digital Services Act targets major online platforms, including X and Meta, with rigorous regulations aimed at preventing detrimental online activities. Musk’s X became a focal point of DSA investigation, highlighting the EU’s stringent compliance demands for platforms with a significant user base, measured at over 45 million monthly in the EU.
Under DSA, companies can face fines amounting to 6% of their global annual turnover for violations, and compliance delays can incur additional daily charges up to 5% of their global daily turnover. Musk’s operations have not only drawn the EU’s legal scrutiny but have also led to a broader consideration of digital platform accountability in terms of content management and transparency.
The administration of the DSA involves approximately 150 EU personnel, actively working across the Commission’s DG CONNECT in Brussels and the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency in Spain. Furthermore, explicit reminders of adhering to DSA guidelines have been communicated directly to figures like Weidel by prior EU industry commissioner Thierry Breton.
However, despite the stringent supervision, Musk has depicted the EU’s actions as inconsistent with his views on free expression. He has previously clashed with EU authorities over perceived overreach, notably when Breton warned of compliance requirements ahead of Musk’s interview with Trump, which Musk’s CEO Linda Yaccarino deemed an “unprecedented” extension of EU law into U.S. political contexts.
The investigative arm of the DSA does not limit its scope to Musk’s platform alone but extends inquiries into other major tech entities like Meta, AliExpress, Temu, and TikTok. While the case against TikTok has recently closed following the platform’s remedial action, ongoing investigations continue to emphasize the EU’s intent to uphold its digital regulation standards.
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