Swiss lawmaker Meret Schneider receives death threat for criticising Elon Musk's X - Here's what all she said
World: Meret Schneider has been facing criticism for suggesting stricter controls on Elon Musk's X, Facebook, and TikTok due to "their preference for extreme views".
Who is Meret Schneider? The Swiss politician has received death threats after criticising Elon Musk’s social media platform X.
Meret Schneider, a member of the National Council of Switzerland, has been facing criticism for suggesting stricter controls on Elon Musk's X, Facebook, and TikTok due to "their preference for extreme views".
Swiss lawmakers have also suggested banning social media platforms if needed.
What did she say?
Schneider stressed on regulating social media, further arguing that Switzerland is lagging behind in doing so.
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The Green Party politician, while stressing the need to regulate social media, said, "The EU [European Union] has been taking action against tech giants for a long time, and we are simply doing nothing."
She claimed that the election campaign in Germany shows how platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok pose a threat to democracy.
“Posts that benefit the AfD are pushed while opposing content is suppressed,” she claimed.
“Today it affects Germany, in a few years it might affect the elections in Switzerland,” Schneider told German-language newspaper Tagesanzeiger.
Schneider faces backlash
Roger Koppel, editor of Swiss magazine ‘Die Weltwoche’ posted a screenshot of the article, which was titled, "If Necessary, X or TikTok Should Be Blocked".
The post went viral and triggered criticism of Schneider. Moreover, she also received death threats from anonymous numbers.
Also read: White House releases video of shackled deportees; Elon Musk's reaction sparks condemnation
She said that she received a chilling phone call on Sunday night. “We will kill you; trust me," a male voice reportedly told her.
Speaking to ‘Tagesanzeiger’, Schneider accused Koppel of fuelling the backlash. “Koppel served me to his followers on a silver platter," she said.
She further claimed that the hate messages are not just from Germany but also from the US and Russia.
"So far, most of the attacks have come from German-speaking countries, but now I have the US community against me," she said, noting that many negative comments on X include hashtags like "Make America Great Again," "Free Speech," and "Elon Musk Will Save Us."
Who is Meret Schneider?
Meret Schneider is a key member of the Green Party. Her political career started as a municipal councilor in Uster in 2014. She was then elected to the National Council in 2019 and returned in December last year.
Moreover, she is also the co-manager of Sentience Politics, organisation focused on animal rights, and has been an advocate for reducing meat consumption in Switzerland.
(With inputs from agencies)
