“PROBLEMATIC”: ANGELA MERKEL CRITICAL OF TWITTER’S TRUMP BAN

Mon 11 January 2021:

Twitter’s decision to suspend of U.S. President Donald Trump’s account is pushing European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to stress the need to regulate social media companies.

On Monday, a spokesman for Merkel said Twitter’s Trump ban was “problematic.”

Speaking at a press conference in the capital Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said social media platforms bear great responsibility to combat fake news, but he also underlined the importance of protecting freedom of expression.

“This fundamental right can be interfered with, but as prescribed by the law and within the limits defined by the legislators, not according to a decision of the management of social media platforms,” Steffen Seibert said.

“From this point of view, the chancellor thinks that the permanent suspension of US President’s account is problematic.”

Manfred Weber, chairman of the EPP group at the European Parliament, concurred, telling Brussels Playbook: “The EU mustn’t let Facebook and Twitter decide what’s within the boundaries of the acceptable on their platforms.”

“We cannot leave it to American Big Tech companies to decide how we do and do not discuss, what can and cannot be said in a democratic discourse. We need a stricter regulatory approach,” Weber added.

Twitter on Jan. 8 suspended the US president’s account, two days after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, which left at least five people dead.

“After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence,” it said in a statement.

Trump is accused by many of inciting supporters to halt Congress’ ability to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory.