Henna Virkkunen denies taking softer approach to Big Tech as Trump returns

A top EU official denied taking a softer approach toward big tech companies, citing a “very clear legal basis” for regulators and pointing to several ongoing investigations into platforms such as social media platforms. unknown and Goal.

Heist reported Earlier this week, the EU was reassessing investigations into Apple, Google and Meta, a process that could ultimately lead to the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, reducing or changing the focus of its investigations.

However, speaking to CNBC on Thursday, Henna Virkkunen, executive vice president of technological sovereignty at the European Commission, responded.

“We have our Digital Services Law that came into force a little over a year ago, and there are several formal proceedings underway against, we can say, all the big platforms: Metaplatforms, Instagram, Facebook, also on X and with TikTok,” he said Virkkunen.

“We continue the work, so no new decisions are made. So we are doing the investigations (to see) if they are complying with our rules,” he said.

He Digital Services Law o DSA, which comes into full force in 2024, gives EU institutions the power to regulate Big Tech in a bid to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and clamp down on disinformation.

However, despite these new powers, there are growing doubts about how the EU will actually enforce the rules, particularly after President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

“It remains to be seen what the EU will do, as some investigations have gone further than others, but it is also clear that US tech companies will try to use the Trump administration to roll back EU rules,” Dexter Thillien, senior analyst. at The Economist Intelligence Unit, he told CNBC.

It comes like the technology industry attempts to cuddle to Trump before his second term as president. Tesla’s Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Zuckerberg will do it attend Trump’s inauguration next week, according to NBC News.

Meanwhile, last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg called on the incoming US president to look at the EU’s approach to big tech, saying the way the bloc applies competition rules is ” almost like a tariff.”

EU official Virkkunen is part of a new team of politicians who began their work as members of the EU’s executive arm in December. Until now, the bloc has been considered a leader in technology regulation and has opened the door to several investigations into the behavior of large technology companies.

Asked if he was considering taking a softer approach towards the sector, Virkkunen said: “We have a very clear legal basis and regulatory rules in Europe and of course we are now enforcing those rules fully.”

Virkkunen did not say whether she felt pressured by Trump’s return to the White House. Instead, he said, “all companies, whether American, European or Chinese, must respect EU regulations.”

In December 2023, Musk’s X was Hit by first EU investigation. under the Digital Services Law. The European Commission is evaluate whether failed to comply with its transparency obligations and its duties to combat illicit content.

At the time, the institution said it was specifically evaluating areas related to risk management, content moderation, dark patterns, advertising transparency and data access for researchers.

As Musk continues courts far-right ahead of German elections – including hosting a live discussion with AfD party leader Alice Weidel, there are doubts about whether the European Commission will evaluate this conversation as part of the investigation.

“This is not about Elon Musk. This is about X,” Virkkunen said.

“X is (a) very large online platform, they have to assume their responsibilities and they have to assess and mitigate the risks, for example, what they are publishing for electoral processes and for civic discourse. But (the European Commission)” “We are already investigating X about this, and the scope of the investigation is already quite broad,” he said, adding that “we are monitoring all the time” in case of new developments.