Twitter could be banned from operating in Europe if the company doesn’t comply with an upcoming law regarding disinformation and political advertising, a government official in France warned this week.
During a radio interview, French Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the social media platform faces significant fines or an outright ban if the company refuses to comply with provisions of the European Union’s Disinformation Code of Practice.
The Code is currently voluntary for private businesses operating in European Union member states, but many of its provisions will become mandatory through the European Digital Services Act (EDSA), which takes effect in August.
The regulation requires websites to track political advertising and limit the spread of misinformation, among other things. Several other major social media platforms have affirmed their intention to comply with the EDSA by the time it becomes law. Twitter, on the other hand, has voiced its opposition to the Code of Practices and has not indicated whether it will comply with the EDSA.
“Disinformation is one of the gravest threats weighing on our democracies,” Barrot said during the radio interview. “Twitter, if it repeatedly doesn’t follow our rules, will be banned from the E.U.”
Before a ban, Twitter would likely be subject to financial penalties for flouting the EDSA, which could see government regulators impose fines of up to 6 percent of its revenue.
