President of the European Commission: Here’s what the EU is doing to limit the power of tech giants

  • Date: 01-Feb-2021
  • Source: Business Insider
  • Sector:Economy
  • Country:Middle East
  • Who else needs to know?

President of the European Commission: Here’s what the EU is doing to limit the power of tech giants

Dear Mr Döpfner, 

Many thanks for your kind open letter. 

By chance, on the same day your letter was published online, I spoke at the virtual World Economic Forum in Davos, on the very topic you raised “” namely the darker side of digitalization. 

The growing power of the largest internet platforms “” and their incredible economic and even political influence “” also leaves me increasingly concerned. 

I share your opinion that we cannot only talk about the great promise of the digital world “” we must also talk about the problems it is creating for our economies, our societies, and our democracy. 

This recently hit home when I watched on television as the angry mob stormed the US Capitol. 

I found those images deeply unsettling. This is what happens when actions follow words. This is what happens when messages spread by online platforms and social media become a threat to democracy. 

Read more: It's time for Europe to take private data from the hands of powerful tech monopolies and give it back to the people

We should see those images from the United States as a warning. Despite all the basic trust in our European democracy, we in Europe are not immune to such a turn of