Digital chief denies reports EU is delaying investigations into social media giants

The European Commission will fully enforce its rules governing social media and other large online platforms and has not delayed any cases against U.S. Big Tech, the EU digital chief said on Wednesday.

"There haven't been any delays," Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen told reporters, referring to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes antitrust obligations and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which covers content moderation.

Virkkunen said she had seen reports that the EU was delaying investigations, such as into Apple, Meta and Google, but said the probes were still in a technical phase, which includes exchanges with companies, before decisions could be taken.

"We are fully enforcing the DMA and the DSA," she said.

Virkkunen said the two acts were very powerful tools applying to all companies, including European companies, operating services in the European Union to ensure a fair and safe online environment for all.

She also said the DSA was protecting, rather than limiting, freedom of speech.

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg said last week, while announcing Meta had scrapped U.S. fact-checking programs, that Europe had an ever increasing number of laws "institutionalizing censorship".

Zuckerberg also called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who starts his second term on Monday, to stop the EU from fining U.S. tech firms.