PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 07: In this photo illustration, the social medias applications logos, Twitter, Messenger, Telegram, Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Gmail, Facebook and Google are displayed on the screen of an Apple iPhone on November 07, 2018 in Paris, France. Tik Tok, also called Douyin is a Chinese mobile application for video sharing and social networking developed by the Toutiao company. The application TikTok, which allows to create video clips, becomes the most downloaded application in the world in number of downloads, in front of Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. Downloaded almost 4 million times in the United States alone, today it has about 500 million active users each month worldwide. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)

EU Considers Social Media Shutdowns Amidst Unrest: A Cautionary Debate

European digital rights advocacy group EDRi and other experts are urging regulators to engage with digital rights activists to mitigate the risks associated with the vague and ambiguous provisions of the DSA.

The Debate on Social Media Shutdowns

Macron’s consideration of social media shutdowns during times of unrest has sparked debate and controversy. Critics argue that such measures resemble tactics used by authoritarian regimes to censor and oppress citizens, potentially infringing on fundamental rights and hindering democracy.

While proponents argue that shutting down social media during protests may prevent the spread of violence and organize unrest, digital rights activists stress the importance of preserving access to information, especially in turbulent times when the internet can serve as a lifeline for citizens.