What can an American influencer teach the EU? Charlie Kirk and the EU’s digital dilemma
The assassination of Charlie Kirk grabbed headlines across the EU, dominating political debate and prompting reflection on his influence and the implications for European democracy.
Kirk, a MAGA influencer and founder of “Turning Point Action,” an organisation whose purpose was to “embolden the conservative base through grassroots activism” and to help “take back America,” was murdered while he was on his “American Comeback” tour, through which he shared his conservative views and debated college students with opposing political beliefs.
A controversial figure, he did not hesitate to voice his bigoted opinions, which gained him a significant following and made him a key figure in the MAGA camp. At the time of his death, Kirk’s link to the White House was so strong that Vice President Vance announced he would host a tribute episode of the podcast, and Trump promised to award him with a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In a grotesque show of solidarity, conservative forces in the European Parliament tried to honour Kirk’s memory by dedicating him a moment of silence during a plenary in Strasbourg. The move was highly contested by the opposition, as it had not been officially approved, sparking heated discussions the freedom of expression and political violence.
However, debates that amount to finger-pointing and blame-shifting are merely nearsighted exchanges. The real conversation should go further than Kirk’s murder. It should instead revolve around the role online platforms played in the rise in popularity of political influencers, by promoting their extremist beliefs and creating information echo chambers as alternatives to mainstream media. It should also be about the need to securitise online environments to protect democracy.
The EU’s 2022 Digital Services Act (DSA) precisely addresses this challenge, by targeting online platforms and search engines to ensure they promote safer online ecosystems. The DSA gives the EU the power to rein in platforms with significant user traffic and regulate their recommended algorithms. To this day, however, we have yet to see full enforcement of this law from the EU.
However, there is no time to delay. Failure to enforce our digital laws exposes users to not only unfair data collection practices, but continued exposure to foreign manipulation and algorithmic radicalisation. Make no mistake, the rise of violence and civil unrest will not remain the preserve of the US. Ultimately, it is the future of our European liberal democracies that is on the line.
Giulia Torchio is a Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre.
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