Europe must be prepared to ban Twitter, Ó Ríordáin says

Labour MEP for Dublin Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has written to EU Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen calling for decisive action against Twitter, including the possibility of banning access in the EU.

Ó Ríordáin’s letter comes in the wake of the child sexual abuse material and the platform’s ongoing failure to meet its obligations under EU law.

Ó Ríordáin said the situation on Twitter had deteriorated to such an extent that the European Union must not shy away from the strongest possible enforcement action, even in the face of political pressure or threats of retaliation from the Trump administration.

He said, “the situation on Twitter has gone far beyond what any democratic society should tolerate; I left the platform a year ago because it had become a cesspit of hatred, intimidation and abuse.”

Ó Ríordáin joins Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon and his party, the Social Democrats, along with Green leader Roderic O’Gorman and the Green party in quitting Twitter, along with Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Ireland, The Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and Paralympics Ireland.

Ó Ríordáin said, “what we have seen since then is an acceleration of that decline, alongside the rapid rise of far-right movements that use the platform to spread racism, misogyny and political extremism.”

“The emergence of Grok and the generation of sexualised deepfake material, including content involving minors, marks a dangerous new phase. This is not just offensive or unethical content. It is potentially criminal material, and platforms have clear legal duties to prevent, remove and report it. In my view, Twitter has failed that test.

“There are those who will insist that we cannot act because of the potential for retribution from the US administration – this is an assertion I entirely reject. The European Union cannot be afraid of potential blowback from Donald Trump, Elon Musk or anyone else. Europe’s digital laws are unique in the world and they exist to protect people, especially children. If we retreat now, we send a signal that intimidation works. This is precisely the moment for the EU to assert its autonomy and defend its values.

In terms of what the EU can do, the Labour MEP said “the Digital Services Act gives the Commission the power to act, including through fines and, where non-compliance is persistent and systemic, the suspension of access to a service in the EU – in other words: a ban. Those powers must be used if platforms refuse to change course.”

“Europol also has a responsibility here. Its cybercrime and child protection units exist to track illegal material, support national investigations and dismantle abuse networks. I am calling on Europol to act decisively and use every tool at its disposal. Platforms that obstruct cooperation are not just breaching regulations, they are undermining criminal justice itself.

“This is about whether we are serious about protecting children, defending democracy and enforcing our own laws. Europe should not hesitate. If Twitter cannot comply with EU standards, then access to our union cannot be guaranteed – and we need to now prepare the groundwork to ban the platform outright should that step be needed,” the Labour MEP said.