- EU investigates X (Twitter)
- Violations of Digital Services Act
- Elon Musk-owned platform faces scrutiny
Formally, the European Union has declared that it has reason to believe X, formerly referred to as Twitter, has violated its regulations about disinformation and the prevention of unlawful content.
The alleged infractions were detailed in a social media post by digital commissioner Thierry Breton.
X, which is owned by Elon Musk, was also suspected of violating its transparency obligations, according to him.
X stated that it was “assisting the regulatory process.”
The firm stated in a statement that “ensuring this process remains lawful and free from political influence” was crucial.
It further stated, “X is committed to protecting freedom of expression while fostering a secure and welcoming environment for all users on our platform; we will continue to work tirelessly towards this objective.”
The Digital Services Act (DSA) initiates these initial formal proceedings. The European Union has toughened it for major technology companies.
The DSA imposes additional responsibilities on major corporations to safeguard users from radical content. Failure to comply may result in the imposition of hefty fines or even suspension.
“We initiated formal proceedings against Twitter today in connection with multiple alleged violations of the Digital Services Act,” stated Johannes Bahrke, a spokesman for the EU Commission.
“With the commencement of proceedings, the Commission will now examine X’s systems and policies about specific alleged violations.” The statement does not prejudge the investigation’s outcome.
The European Union announced in October that it was investigating X. After attacking Israel, Hamas raised concerns about violent, terroristic, and hate speech.
At that time, X announced purging hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts from the platform.
The European Union stated on Monday, while describing the most recent developments in its investigation into X, that it would also assess the efficacy of X’s so-called Community Notes system.
The company views user comments on story credibility as a defence against misinformation.
Concerns have increased, however, regarding the quality of content that appears on X since Elon Musk acquired it, in part because he fired a significant number of its moderators. The European Commission had previously warned that X had the most severe disinformation problem of any major platform.
Controversy surrounding the publication of extremist content on the website has sparked an advertising boycott in the United States, a contentious dispute between Elon Musk and a campaign organization, and even financial insolvency concerns for X.
Councils should use pension ‘windfall’ to fill funding deficits
