Twitter has withdrawn from a voluntary agreement with the European Union to combat online disinformation, according to European Commissioner Thierry Breton. While other major social media platforms have pledged their support to the EU’s disinformation “code of practice,” Twitter has decided to opt out. However, Breton emphasized that Twitter still has an obligation to adhere to the EU’s tough new digital rules, which will be implemented in August. He stated, “You can run but you can’t hide.”
In response to this development, Twitter provided an automated reply and did not offer any further comments. This decision appears to be part of billionaire owner Elon Musk’s efforts to loosen restrictions on the social media company since acquiring it last year. Musk has reversed previous anti-misinformation rules, causing chaos in Twitter’s verification system and content moderation policies, all in pursuit of transforming the platform into a digital town square.
On the other hand, Google, TikTok, Microsoft, Facebook, and Meta (parent company of Instagram) have all signed the EU code, committing to measure their efforts in combating disinformation and regularly reporting on their progress.
There were already indications that Twitter was not fully committed to fulfilling its obligations. Earlier this year, the European Commission criticized Twitter for failing to provide a comprehensive first report under the code, citing a lack of specific information and targeted data.
Breton emphasized that the new digital rules, which incorporate the code of practice, will make combating disinformation a legal obligation. He stated, “Our teams will be ready for enforcement.”
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