Elon Musk’s X Defends its Stance on Israel-Hamas Content Amid EU Controversy

Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, discussed X’s approach to handling illegal content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict in an interview with CNBC’s Sara Eisen. This comes after a top EU regulator expressed concerns about the platform being used to spread disinformation.

In response to the recent Hamas attack on Israel, Yaccarino announced on X that a leadership group has been formed to address the situation.

X has taken action by identifying and removing hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts since the start of the conflict. Yaccarino also outlined X’s policies regarding violent speech, manipulated media, and perpetrators of violent attacks.

According to Yaccarino, X is committed to facilitating public conversation, especially during critical moments like this. The platform recognizes the importance of combating illegal content and continuously works to remove terrorist organizations and violent extremist groups from its platform in real-time.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s commissioner for internal market, issued a notice to X, giving them 24 hours to respond to concerns about the platform being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Breton referred to the Digital Services Act (DSA), a regulation that requires online platforms to combat illegal content or face significant fines.

Breton highlighted changes in X’s public interest policy, which left European users uncertain about the platform’s content rules. He also pointed out the circulation of fake and manipulated images and facts on X.

Breton expects X to cooperate with law enforcement authorities and Europol and promptly respond to their requests.

Yaccarino confirmed that X has responded to over 80 takedown requests from the EU in a timely and objective manner. She requested more specific information regarding the alleged illegal content on X. The CEO also stated that the company has not received any notices from Europol regarding illegal content.

Breton similarly reached out to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging vigilance in monitoring content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The EU’s scrutiny of Big Tech continues to escalate, with the DSA designating 19 companies, including Apple and Amazon, as “very large” online platforms subject to stricter regulations.