Prominent European Filmmakers Call for Regulation of Tech Platforms
Some of the biggest names in the European film industry are urging for more regulation of global tech platforms following the inauguration of Donald Trump as President and the public support from tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk.
An online petition titled “Defend Our Democracies Against Tech Giants” has garnered over 1,000 signatures from European industry professionals, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche and Volker Schlöndorff, as well as renowned directors such as Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, Marjane Satrapi, Rebecca Złotowski, and Jessica Hausner.
Prominent cultural figures like Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera and Nobel Prize-winning Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek have also joined the movement by signing the petition on Change.org.
The petition criticizes tech giants from the USA, Russia, and China for openly flouting European laws and posing a threat to democracies by allowing the spread of disinformation, hate speech, violence incitement, and conspiracy theories.
Among the platforms called out for alleged violations of European regulations are Elon Musk’s X, Meta (formerly Facebook) owned by Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok, and Telegram. The EU has strict laws in place to enforce data protection and combat illegal content, unlike the US where digital players operate with fewer restrictions.
Many in Europe are concerned about the potential misuse of digital platforms to undermine democratic systems, with Elon Musk’s controversial actions and support for far-right groups raising red flags. The petition emphasizes the need for civic mobilization to ensure fair and protective digital regulation for European citizens and calls for a digital space that aligns with European values and rights.