REGULATION

Twitter, now owned by X, under investigation by the EU for suspected violations of the Digital Services Act and spreading false information.

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Twitter, now owned by X, under investigation by the EU for suspected violations of the Digital Services Act and spreading false information.

Reuters reported that the European Union, in a recent investigation, suspects the social platform Twitter, now known as X, of spreading false information about the terrorist group Hamas attacking Israel, violating last year's Digital Services Act (DSA). The platform could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue. The EU officially launched a formal investigation against X yesterday, the 18th.

EU Launches Formal Investigation into Company X

The latest press release from the EU indicates that formal proceedings have been initiated against the social media company X. Through X's risk assessment and transparency report, the platform is suspected of violating the Digital Services Act, particularly in relation to the dissemination of illegal content such as Hamas and Israeli terrorist attacks.

It is noted that the Digital Services Act (DSA) came into effect in November last year, requiring large online platforms and search engines to actively combat the spread of illegal and public safety-threatening content.

In April, the European Commission announced that 19 "cross-border large online platforms," including Google and YouTube, would be among the first entities regulated under the legislation. X, with 1.12 billion monthly active users in the EU, is also included in this list.

First batch of platforms regulated under DSA

EU Commission: Maximum Fine of 6% of Global Annual Revenue

The statement highlights that the investigation will focus on the following aspects:

  • Whether X has complied with the DSA by conducting risk assessments, content moderation, and effectively combating illegal content
  • Effectiveness of X's measures against information manipulation including community notes
  • X's interface design, especially regarding verified accounts with blue checkmarks, and whether it makes users more vulnerable to fraud

Thierry Breton, EU Internal Market Commissioner, stated:

The launch of a formal investigation into X shows that the era of large platforms being "too big to be reviewed" is over. We now have clear rules, obligations, oversight, and sanctions to protect our citizens.

If found guilty, X could face a substantial fine of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Musk: Other Social Media Platforms Are Worse

In response, Musk questioned Breton about whether similar actions have been taken against other social media platforms but did not receive a response.

Musk also emphasized:

If you encounter these issues on this platform, other social media platforms will only be worse.

It is reported that some social media users and political figures have voiced support for Musk, criticizing the EU for attempting to restrict freedom of speech on the platform through mandatory, unreasonable, and politically motivated scrutiny.

It is worth noting that Reuters revealed that companies like Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet have only received reminders from the European Commission to effectively combat illegal content containing harmful and false information in accordance with the DSA.

However, only X has received a notification from the unit about the "formal investigation" to be conducted against it.