This Wednesday, April 27, the program « We must speak » (DH Radio) returned to the takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk and the Gafam. Michel Mathieu, the MR Secretary of State for Digitalization, is Maxime Binet’s guest of the day to talk about it.
The takeover of Twitter by Elon Musk, a good idea? « The question is much broader than that. What role do the Gafam play? A small number of people have mastered tools that have a direct impact on society », before continuing: « When I look at the work of Elon Musk, these In recent years, I see that he has continuously invested in projects that impact society. Tesla, SpaceX. On Twitter, he links freedom of expression to the transparency of Twitter’s algorithms. That is to say, to understand how you are – or are not – impacted by a tweet that has been made. This seems to me to be a fundamental tool. »
Have Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Musk become more powerful than heads of state? « In absolute terms, they were. They won’t be anymore. Countries, including Europe, are working on regulatory mechanisms, which are legislative tools that force more responsibility for these platforms. »
So how does Europe counter them? « The concept on which Europe is working is to consider that what is prohibited in the real world must also be prohibited in the virtual world. It means stopping a digital universe that is the far west. with the rapid advance of technologies, States have let themselves be overwhelmed. Today, we are regaining control by setting rules. »
Touching the Gafam where it hurts them requires sanctions on their turnover. These can be taken up to 6% of turnover. For the Gafam, is it little, finally? « It’s still huge, we see what type of budget we’re talking about. If, at some point, we realize that 6% is not a deterrent, we can go further. That’s the strength of democracy. »
Elon Musk is in favor of Donald Trump’s return to Twitter. The power of Gafam is also to be able to condemn, suspend important personalities. How to counter this? « We have to distinguish between a private universe and the role of the state. The private sector sets its own rules. The important thing is that the rules are transparent. What Elon Musk is proposing on Twitter is is to make the content algorithm transparent. But the role of the state is to set limits on private universes. If its content is illegal, it constrains the private universe. »
Would nationalizing Twitter or Facebook be a good idea then? « Who will then define what we can or cannot say on these platforms? It becomes worrying. It means that we must set up a ministry of good thought. It is something that worries me. I do not don’t want to live in a world where freedom of expression is controlled.
Controversial remarks by Conner Rousseau, Bouchez and the sanitary cordon
Asked also about the controversial remarks of Connor Rousseau, explaining not to feel in Belgium when he walks in Molenbeek, Mathieu Michel evokes a skid. « When you are party president, these are comments that should not be made. Molenbeek is indeed a Belgian municipality, with a Belgian population », before continuing: « the media universe, which has evolved in recent years , leads to having to say things that are always borderline, borderline, so that we can talk about ourselves. What’s going on behind it? It creates a buzz, it creates a like. Now, we realize that « Through Twitter, through Facebook, there are algorithms. The more clicks there are, the more comments there are, the higher you get in the chat stream, and so that generates a bit of pollution in the political debate. »
The more there are clicks, the more there are comments, it generates a little pollution in the political debate
Georges-Louis Bouchez, big user of Twitter and party president of Michel Mathieu, does he then also pollute the political debate? « The tenor of Conner Rosseau’s remarks has nothing to do with the enthusiastic and committed tenor of what I can read in the tweets pushed by Bouchez ».
Having affirmations of a point of view from the outside leads to sometimes heated discussions within governments
A party president who sometimes tweets divisive things, doesn’t that serve the MR a little within the Vivaldi? « Bouchez is a party president who has ideas, convictions, sometimes a little overflowing. When you are a member of a government, it is another function. You have to work on agreements, consensuses which are not only the reflection of our positions. Having affirmations of point of view from outside leads to sometimes lively discussions within governments. »
The MR did not break the sanitary cordon. Georges-Louis Bouchez has been knocking out far-right ideas in a Flemish media universe
The Secretary of State for continuing also returned to the debate between Georges-Louis and Tom Van Grieken, leader of the Flemish far right, on the VRT set. « The MR did not break the cordon sanitaire. Georges-Louis Bouchez was to destroy far-right ideas in a Flemish media universe. I am not saying that I am for the debate with Vlaams Belang, but we must dismantle , one by one, the arguments which make that, today, a part of the population allows itself to be seduced by extremist ideas.
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