In the midst of the ongoing debate in the US over a potential ban of the social media platform Tiktok, German Federal Minister of Justice Volker Wissing has spoken out in opposition to such a move.
“I don’t think it’s right to ban individual companies from conducting business, so a ban on Tiktok is the wrong way to go” he told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. “With the Digital Services Act (DSA), we in the EU already have a strong regulatory framework that applies to all digital platforms and provides for severe penalties, up to six percent of the annual turnover, for violations. The European Commission has the competence to enforce these rules. The ongoing proceedings against Tiktok, X, and other platforms will be an important test case.”
Following his conversations with the responsible Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, Wissing expressed full trust in the Commission’s ability to hold the platforms accountable. “Instead of hastily demanding bans, we must apply our rules consistently. A ban can only be the ultimate resort. Our goal remains a safe and free internet for all users in Europe” he added.