Recently, the drama between Musk and the EU is even more thrilling than the fluctuations of Bitcoin. The EU fined the X platform 120 million euros, and Musk exploded, shouting the slogan 'Abolish the EU.' A bunch of people called him crazy, but I must say, the issue behind this is not the fine itself, but the struggle for discourse power in the digital age. Let's discuss my views.
1. The fine is just a trigger; the real explosion is the contradiction of digital sovereignty between the US and Europe.
The EU fined the X platform this time for 'violating transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act'—for example, being able to obtain blue check certification for a fee, the opacity of the ad library, and not opening data to researchers. Sounds quite grand, right? But if you think about it, who actually sets these 'transparency' rules? It’s those unelected technocrats in Brussels. They hold the power to define, today they can demand algorithms be made public, and tomorrow they can point at you and say 'the topic you are discussing is not compliant.'
Why does Musk react so strongly? Because he knows that what the EU really wants is to be the 'editor-in-chief' of the internet. The X platform's restoration of Trump's account and allowance for discussions on various sensitive topics have long been a thorn in the EU's side. Fines are merely a warning, and there may be even harsher regulatory measures to come.
2. 'Freedom of speech' is just a guise; the power to set rules is the real focal point.
The EU claims to protect user rights, but its actions are quite honest: TikTok is forced to sell assets, Apple and Google take turns facing fines, and now it's X platform's turn. On the surface, it seems to be a compliance issue, but in reality, the EU is fighting for the power to set the rules of the digital age. They want to use the 'Brussels Effect' to make the world adhere to European standards and thus gain dominant discourse power.
The problem is that this set of rules plays double standards. When it comes to data, American companies are investigated thoroughly, while local European enterprises often get a pass. For example, the EU's own Gaia-X cloud initiative is clearly a way to protect its own. Musk called the EU the 'Fourth Reich'; although the words are harsh, there is some truth to it — when regulatory power expands infinitely, how is it different from hegemony?
3. Musk's calculation: traffic, politics, and business — a three-in-one strategy.
Old Ma is very shrewd; his call to 'abolish the EU' is not just a moment of rage. First, this can establish his persona as a 'defender of free speech', attracting anti-establishment users. The X platform recently suspended the EU Commission's advertising account, clearly showing that it intends to confront Brussels head-on, which has drawn plenty of attention.
Secondly, he has timed the cracks in US-EU relations perfectly. The Trump administration has just released a national security strategy, directly criticizing Europe for 'civilizational decline', and Vice President Pence and Secretary of State Rubio quickly sided with Musk, escalating the fines into a confrontation of 'America vs. EU'. Old Ma has cleverly aligned himself with the strong, pleasing Washington while providing political endorsement for the X platform.
4. Insights for the crypto world: the regulatory sword will eventually swing towards us.
Those of us in crypto shouldn't just be bystanders. Today, the EU can penalize the X platform under the guise of 'transparency', and tomorrow it can use the same rationale to investigate DeFi protocols or exchanges. DSA, DMA (Digital Markets Act), and these regulations are essentially tools of sovereign expansion — they don't care about innovation, only about control.
But the contradiction is that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are inherently anti-censorship. The more the EU tries to 'regulate', the more likely it is to push for more decentralized solutions. For example, the recent resurgence of privacy coins and anti-censorship protocols shows that the market is voting with its feet.
5. My conclusion: The game has just begun; betting on 'open networks' is the long-term play.
In the short term, the EU will not back down and may even increase its crackdown. But what about the long term? History has proven that closed systems cannot compete with open ecosystems. The explosion of the internet happened because no one could act as the 'editor-in-chief' in its early days. Now the EU wants to reverse this trend, but the result will only drive away innovators.
As a player, my strategy is clear: continue to bet on open protocols and anti-censorship technologies. Whether it's Musk's X platform or cryptocurrencies, the core value is 'no one can shut you down with a single click'. The EU's bureaucrats may win a few battles, but they cannot win the entire era.
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