The European Union has initiated an investigation into X, formerly known as Twitter, regarding its handling of content related to the war in Israel and Gaza. This probe, undertaken under the EU’s new Digital Services Act, aims to limit the dissemination of illegal content and disinformation on social media platforms.
“The #DSA is here to protect both freedom of expression & our democracies — including in times of crisis. We have sent @X a formal request for information, a first step in our investigation to determine compliance with the DSA,” stated EU Commissioner Thierry Breton on X.
The European Commission launched the investigation after receiving “indications” of the dissemination of illegal content and disinformation on X, particularly terrorist and violent content and hate speech, as stated in the announcement.
Prior to the formal investigation, the EU had sent X a warning letter on Monday.
The Hill contacted an X spokesperson for comment.
In response to the initial letter, X CEO Linda Yaccarino published a letter on Thursday morning outlining the actions the platform has taken in response to the conflict. Yaccarino mentioned the removal of hundreds of Hamas-linked accounts, resource redistribution and internal team focus, and the proactive identification and addressing of fake and manipulated content.
Since Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, false claims have been circulating on X. Instances include the misrepresentation of prior Israeli airstrikes as recent and false claims of the U.S. sending a multi-billion dollar aid package to Israel.
Critics and experts monitoring the situation have raised concerns about the spread of disinformation on X under Musk’s leadership. There have been rollbacks in content moderation measures, changes in the verification system that allows users to pay for blue check marks and removes them from public figures, and additional monetization options for paying users, all heightening worries about misinformation dissemination.
The investigation into X could be a significant test for the enforcement of the EU’s Digital Services Act, which became effective in August for large platforms.
The Digital Services Act holds platforms accountable for the distribution of illegal content posted on their platforms.
Updated at 3:32 p.m.
© 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
