Germany's digital minister told Twitter boss Elon Musk that the country expects the social media platform to focus on fighting against disinformation, the digital ministry said, as per news agency Reuters. Germany's digital and transport minister Volker Wissing met Elon Musk and told him that the country wants Twitter to voluntarily comply with commitments to fight disinformation, a spokesperson for the ministry said.
Volker Wissing also told Elon Musk that he expects Twitter to adhere in future to the Digital Services Act- which has been agreed by European Union's 27 member. The act requires online platforms to do more to police the internet for illegal content.
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"There was a very open and long talk," the spokesperson said, adding that the German government will continue to critically observe the situation at Twitter.
Earlier, a senior German official had told the European Commission that Twitter should be regulated under new EU rules on digital markets as the company posed a threat to free speech under Elon Musk. Sven Giegold, the state secretary in charge of competition policy at Germany's economy ministry said last month that Twitter should be seen as a "gatekeeper" because of its influence on public opinion.
Sven Giegold cited his concerns about "Twitter's platform rules and their abrupt changes and arbitrary application", saying, “The EU should use all the possibilities at its disposal to protect competition and freedom of speech on digital platforms.”
{{/usCountry}}Sven Giegold cited his concerns about "Twitter's platform rules and their abrupt changes and arbitrary application", saying, “The EU should use all the possibilities at its disposal to protect competition and freedom of speech on digital platforms.”
{{/usCountry}}The official also said that banning journalists' accounts and restricting links to rivals "threaten not only free competition but also pose a risk for democracy as well as freedom of speech, information and the press."