EU launches formal investigation into Musk's X
Will examine the effectiveness of measures to counter the dissemination of illegal content in the EU
The European Union has initiated its first investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), targeting social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter.
The probe is focused on suspected breaches of obligations, particularly related to posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel.
The DSA, implemented in November last year, imposes stringent rules on user privacy, content moderation, and transparency for major digital platforms and search engines. Violating firms could face fines up to 6% of their global turnover.
Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton outlined the alleged infringements in a post on X, citing suspicions of breaches in company's handling of illegal content and disinformation.
The investigation focuses on the effectiveness of measures taken by X to counter the dissemination of illegal content in the EU, as well as measures to combat information manipulation. These include X's innovative "Community Notes" feature, which allows users to comment on posts to flag false or misleading content, essentially engaging users in crowd-sourcing fact-checking efforts.
An investigation into "deceptive design" will focus on the controversial use of "blue check" marks, which are now only available to those who pay, raising concerns about the platform's commitment to transparency.
Critics of X, especially since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October, have condemned the presence of hate speech and fake news on the platform.
Thierry Breton had previously warned X, Meta, and TikTok in mid-October to remain vigilant over disinformation and violent posts concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. He reminded the platforms that penalties could be imposed if they were found to be non-compliant with the DSA.
A formal letter from the EU to X dated 10th October raised concerns about the platform being used to spread disinformation in the wake of the Middle East conflict.
Concerns have also been raised about X's lack of investment in compliance and content moderation in European languages, with reports suggesting only one moderator in the Netherlands.
A senior EU official clarified to Reuters that the investigation doesn't presume X guilty of an infringement but signifies substantial grounds for a detailed examination.
The development follows earlier actions where Facebook, TikTok, Google and Microsoft committed to a code of conduct outlined by the EU in preparation for the DSA. Notably, Twitter withdrew from the code of conduct in June, prompting warnings from Thierry Breton about the upcoming legal obligations under the DSA.
X has expressed its commitment to complying with the DSA and said it is cooperating with the regulatory process.
"It is important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law. X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform, while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal," the company said.
Notably, X's CEO, Elon Musk, took to the platform to question Thierry Breton, asking if similar actions were being taken against other social media platforms.
"Because if you have those issues with this platform, and none are perfect, the others are much worse," he added.
No specific timeline has been provided for the EU proceedings, but the investigation will take as long as necessary. The EU could apply unspecified "interim measures" before the probe concludes, if deemed appropriate.
Even if X decides to withdraw services from the EU, the legal action would still apply, according to EU officials.