Germany ready to block TikTok and X

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated his readiness to take action against the social platforms TikTok and Elon Musk's X, if they have a negative impact on democracy in Europe.

Berlin's hardline stance

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Steinmeier emphasised that Germany does not intend to turn a blind eye to potential threats emanating from these platforms.

("We cannot and will not allow the X and TikTok platforms to destroy our democratic societies"), the head of state said.

What lies behind this statement?

Official Berlin, like other EU countries, is tightening control over digital platforms, fearing their use for the spread of disinformation, manipulation and political influence.

The European Commission has previously raised objections to X, demanding it strengthen its fight against fake news and harmful content. TikTok, for its part, remains under close scrutiny by European regulators due to potential risks of data leaks and political propaganda.