Is Twitter shutting down in Europe?

Is Twitter Doomed in Europe? Elon Musk’s Latest Move Raises Questions

Elon Musk’s recent decision to withdraw Twitter from the European Union’s disinformation agreement has raised concerns that the platform may be shut down in Europe. The EU’s Digital Services Act, which takes effect in August, imposes certain requirements on social media sites operating in the EU. Failure to comply with these rules could result in a ban from the EU.

“If Musk does not take serious measures to address the increasing problem of ‘disinformation’ on the platform, the entire EU could ban Twitter from its territory.”

While Musk tests the waters by removing Twitter from a voluntary code of practice in Europe, he faces a growing threat that this move may ultimately result in the platform being shut down in the region. Twitter has close to 30 million active users in the EU, which is not only 10 percent of Twitter’s overall user base but also a comparatively affluent segment that’s attractive to Twitter’s advertising base.

The Ultimate Question

While Musk has until August 25 to change his mind and align with these EU rules, the ultimate question will be what happens if he chooses not to align or only partially accede to EU legislation. Negotiations between Twitter and EU regulators may be the most likely scenario, as attorney John Lawlor suggests: “It is in the best interest of Twitter and legislators (not only in Europe but here in the United States) to find ways to work together. A European ban on Twitter or Twitter voluntarily leaving Europe should both be seen as the last resort.”

However, negotiations only work when both parties feel they have something to gain by giving up something to the other side. It’s hard to see where the win would be for European regulators. They will either hold Musk to be on the correct side of the clearly drawn regulatory line, or they’ll make what could become a fatal exception to the legislation.

The Bottom Line

As someone who closely follows Twitter and Musk, it’s clear that Musk realizes that if Twitter were to pull out of Europe, the platform would be doomed. The most likely scenario is that negotiations will take place between Twitter and EU regulators to find a way to work together. A European ban on Twitter or Twitter voluntarily leaving Europe should both be seen as the last resort.

Key Takeaways:

• Elon Musk’s decision to withdraw Twitter from the European Union’s disinformation agreement raises concerns that the platform may be shut down in Europe.
• The EU’s Digital Services Act, which takes effect in August, imposes certain requirements on social media sites operating in the EU.
• Twitter has close to 30 million active users in the EU, which is not only 10 percent of Twitter’s overall user base but also a comparatively affluent segment that’s attractive to Twitter’s advertising base.
• The most likely scenario is that negotiations will take place between Twitter and EU regulators to find a way to work together.

“It is in the best interest of Twitter and legislators (not only in Europe but here in the United States) to find ways to work together.”

Source: The Western Journal