Home » Twitter/X News • US business news » Elon Musk’s X faces EU probe over disinformation

Elon Musk’s X faces EU probe over disinformation

By Nithya Bose in Twitter/X News, posted December 19, 2023

The European Union has launched a probe against Elon Musk’s X for failing to counter illegal content, disinformation, and transparency.

This marks the first formal action under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a set of stringent regulations aimed at major tech firms.

X said it was "co-operating with the regulatory process".

The platform said: the firm said it was "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."

Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton disclosed the suspected infringements in a post on the social media platform.

EU Commission spokesman Johannes Bahrke said: "Today, we opened formal proceedings against X based on several suspected infringements of the Digital Services Act.

Looking to boost your online brand? Create your FREE business profile at WhatBiz? here.

"The opening of proceedings means that the Commission will now investigate X's systems and policies related to certain suspected infringements. It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation."

In October, the EU opened another probe over potential terrorist and violent content, and hate speech, following the Hamas-Israel conflict.

At that time, X said it had taken down numerous accounts associated with Hamas from the platform.

EU said the latest investigation will also assess the effectiveness of X's Community Notes system.

It’s designed to allow contributors to comment on post accuracy as a measure against disinformation.

Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career

Ongoing concerns about content

Concerns about the content on X have increased since Musk’s acquisition, mainly due to staff layoffs, raising questions about the platform's moderation capabilities.

The European Commission has previously flagged X as having a significant disinformation problem compared to other major platforms.

In the US, the company has faced controversies over the appearance of extremist material on the platform.

It led to an advertising boycott, disputes between Musk and advocacy groups, and even speculation about the platform's financial viability.

Follow us on YouTube, X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.