Elon Musk's X Under Investigation by EU for Suspected Content Disinformation

At the suggestion of the European Union, infringement proceedings have been initiated against social media site X, formerly known as Twitter and owned by Elon Musk, on the grounds that it is believed to have failed to fight content manipulation and misinformation. This investigation is the first of its kind under the Digital Services Act (DSA), according to CNBC.

Thierry Breton, the bloc's regulator, said Monday, December 18, that X is facing allegations of failing to uphold its transparency standards and combat unlawful material and misinformation. As a result, the probe is underway.

Another reason for this investigation is the EU's stance on what it sees as a "deceptive" user interface design, specifically in regards to its so-called blue checks.

In the European Commission's press release, the DSA proceedings were initiated based on the preliminary investigation that has been carried out thus far. This investigation included reviewing X's September risk assessment report, their November 3 Transparency report, and their responses to a formal request for information. The latter included details regarding the distribution of unlawful content in relation to Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel.

Center of Inquiry

The DSA, which was first implemented in November 2022, mandates that X and other big internet platforms take measures to prevent the spread of misinformation and to delete hate speech while also addressing concerns about freedom of expression. A fine of up to 6% of a company's worldwide yearly sales is possible for companies found guilty of violations.

In the official infringement procedures, the court will look at how well the social media platform has handled information manipulation. CNBC reported that it will also review how transparent it is and whether or not X has complied with its responsibilities to stop the spread of unlawful material in the EU.

The so-called blue checks on the X platform will be the primary focus of the examination into a possible "deceptive design" of the user interface.

Verified accounts with a current X Premium membership that fulfill certain criteria, according to X, are indicated by blue ticks. These criteria include presenting a display name and profile picture, being in active usage, and being secure and non-deceptive. To be eligible for the blue tick, "Your account must have no signs of engaging in platform manipulation and spam," as per X.

X said in a social media post that it is in full compliance with the DSA and is actively participating in the regulatory process. It emphasized the need to keep this process lawful and unfettered by political interference. "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," it added.

Tags

X, Eu, Elon Musk