Belgian MEP Saskia Bricmont (Greens/EFA) will join the movement of users leaving the social network X run by US billionaire Elon Musk on 20 January 2025, the day Donald Trump is inaugurated as President of the United States.
For Bricmont, this is an ethical issue. By using Musk's platform to shape political discourse and influence elections in both the United States and Europe, she believes Musk to be "a real danger to our democracy". Through its algorithm, X provides an unprecedented sounding board for false information and far-right rhetoric, driving up polarisation on the platform, she said.
"To remain on X would be to endorse what the platform has become and the violence and harassment that is unleashed on it, particularly towards elected representatives. It is therefore essential to find alternatives," Bricmont said.
Keeping an eye on Meta
With this announcement, she is joining more than 30 Belgian civil society organisations (including CNCD-11.11.11, Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, Caritas International and Oxfam Belgium) in quitting the X platform.
Bricmont is also keeping a close eye on developments on other social networks, with the Meta group announcing a review of its fact-checking system.
"This announcement is particularly worrying and calls for a wake-up call from the EU: it is imperative to apply the Digital Services Act (DSA) immediately, despite the pressure that can be expected from the new US administration," she said. "This law is essential to protect European citizens against fake news and attempts at foreign interference."
