EU resorts to Lula to create a strategy of coping with Elon Musk

Brazil briefly suspended X last year because of hate and fake news speeches and prepares for a broader clash with social networks. The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva He is leading an offensive against misinformation, which, he said, is so widespread that he threatens democracy.
This approach has aroused great interest in Europe. In recent days, Lula has talked to the French president Emmanuel Macron and with António CostaPresident of the European Council, on ways to preserve the sovereignty of countries and combat misinformation, racism, misogyny and hate crimes propagated on social networks.
Macron and Lula have discussed the issue several times. “Brazil is bringing its expertise in several areas,” said Tiennot Sciberras, press advisor of the French embassy in Brazil. “In the fight against misinformation, it is Brazil that is guiding us.”
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Lula’s appeal gains strength while Musk amplifies fake news and conspiracy theories in the X, and conflicts with political leaders from the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union. How this reaction will unfold can serve as a model of response or highlight the limits of government power over the big techs.
The confrontation with musk
Brazil has long experience with problems caused by social media platforms predominantly controlled by US companies. This year alone, a video generated by artificial intelligence was falsely released showing Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, announcing new taxes. In addition, fake rumors propagated by opposition parliamentarians claimed that the government would tax the PIX payment system, forcing the Plateau to retreat a plan to increase the supervision of the financial sector.
“Social networks are not land without law,” warned Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes on January 8, a day after the goal would announce that he would abandon facts verification programs in the US. Moraes, who led the offensive against musk in Brazil last year, said platforms could only operate in the country if they respect Brazilian laws – “regardless of the bravado of irresponsible technology industry.”
This irritates Donald Trump’s administration, which maintains a close relationship with Musk and other industry leaders, such as Mark Zuckerberg of the goal. The Brazilian government is preparing proposals to tax the Big Techs and regulate competition in the sector. At the same time, the Supreme Court discusses whether platforms can be held responsible for hate speeches, fake news and offenses posted by users. In Congress, an artificial intelligence regulation bill has already been approved by the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the House.
Resistance and global alliances
To the Big Techs have resisted the Lula government. On January 22, representatives of companies such as Google, Meta, Tiktok and X were invited to attend a public hearing on content moderation, but did not attend or justify the absence.
This can expand tensions with the US. American Vice President JD Vance has already warned Europe on the X regulation, and Brendan Carr’s appointment to chair the Federal Communications Commission may further sour relations with Brazil. During the clash between Musk and the Brazilian government, Carr accused Anatel of illegal actions and political persecution against the X and the Starlink satellite internet service.
Still, last year, it was Musk who gave in, fulfilling STF orders to remove user accounts and appoint a legal representative for X in Brazil.
Now Lula tries to turn his battle against social networks into a global cause. In January, he and Macron discussed “the joint struggle against the misinformation and regulation of social networks.”
The British government also stated that Brazil and the United Kingdom launched “joint projects to strengthen public resistance against misinformation.”
Musk’s offensive in Europe
The urgency of the issue only increases. Musk has promoted conspiracy theories, made personal attacks on British Prime Minister Keir Stmermer and supported the far-right alternative party for Germany in February federal elections. The European Union, in turn, has expanded an investigation into X to determine whether the platform violates its content moderation rules.
For Lula, the regulation of social networks is a priority because social media was the main engine of the coup attempt of January 8, 2023, according to a high government official. Disinformation continues to be used to undermine institutions such as the electoral system and the pix, showing the severity of the digital problem.
The Brazilian government tried to approve a regulation last year, but the right opposition claimed censorship and blocked the debate. Now Lula sees a new opportunity to resume the theme.
“Just as states have created antitrust agencies to face past monopolies and cartels, they now need to get organized to combat the huge power of the Big Techs,” said Union Attorney General Jorge Messias. “The governments of the world need to come together to face this new phenomenon.”
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