German Economy Minister Robert Habeck launched a scathing critique of Silicon Valley’s dominance over Europe’s digital landscape, urging the EU to reduce its reliance on “tech oligarchs” such as Elon Musk, according to Politico.
Speaking during a televised Q&A session with voters ahead of Sunday’s national election, Habeck, the Greens’ candidate for chancellor, portrayed Musk’s influence as a direct challenge to European values.
The most powerful man in the world — the U.S. president [Donald Trump] — and the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, have teamed up to eliminate boundaries on power. That cannot be in our interest.
Habeck accused Musk and other US tech giants of promoting a hypocritical notion of “free speech” while treating their business models and algorithms as closely guarded “state secrets.”
They must be regulated. If necessary, regulated in a way that aligns with our values.
However, Habeck argued that current European regulations are insufficient to address the issue.
Why don’t we have a German or European communication platform of our own? We cannot be dependent on Chinese algorithms or Elon Musk’s far-right fantasies when it comes to shaping our democracy.
The economy minister called for Europe to take back control of its digital space, not just in social media but across all industries in which “technological leadership has left the continent.” His remarks echo a growing unease in Brussels over the power of Big Tech.
