Friday’s decision “sends an important signal that the Commission is determined to enforce the DSA,” stated Germany’s digital minister, Karsten Wildberger, during an EU ministers meeting in Brussels. Polish Digital Minister Dariusz Standerski praised it as a demonstration of “strong leadership.”
Following French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent criticism of the EU for delaying conclusions, France’s digital minister, Anne Le Hénanff, stated Friday: “France fully supports this decision … which sends a clear message to all platforms.” She later called it a “magnificent announcement.”
In contrast, Washington quickly criticized the move from Brussels, with Vance commenting before the fine was announced, describing it as a penalty “for not engaging in censorship.” He reiterated the U.S. stance that the EU’s DSA amounts to censorship and restricted speech.
“Once again, Europe is fining a successful U.S. tech company for being a successful U.S. tech company,” said Brendan Carr, chair of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, in reaction to the decision. “Europe is taxing Americans to subsidize a continent held back by Europe’s own suffocating regulations.”
“The only substantial meaningful fines that have been imposed so far have been against American companies,” remarked Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the EU, on Bloomberg Television. “So at some point, if you’re an American company, you’ve gotta sit back and say, look, am I being targeted here?”
When asked for a response, the White House referred POLITICO to Vance’s earlier post.
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