The European Union has officially launched proceedings against X, formerly known as Twitter, for suspected violations of its Digital Services Act (DSA). This action, announced by EU Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton on the social media platform, alleges that X, under Elon Musk’s ownership, has potentially failed to counter illegal content and disinformation and maintain transparency.
X has responded by affirming its cooperation with the regulatory process, emphasizing the importance of a politically unbiased and lawful approach. The company is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment, upholding freedom of expression on the platform.
These proceedings mark the first formal application of the DSA, which imposes stringent obligations on major tech firms to safeguard users against extreme content, with severe penalties, including substantial fines or suspension for non-compliance.
EU Commission spokesman Johannes Bahrke confirmed the commencement of formal investigations into X’s systems and policies related to the suspected DSA infringements, clarifying that this step does not presuppose the investigation’s outcome.
Previously, in October, the EU had begun probing X for the potential spread of terrorist and violent content and hate speech following attacks by Hamas on Israel. X had responded to these concerns by removing numerous Hamas-affiliated accounts.
The EU’s current investigation also includes an evaluation of X’s Community Notes system, designed to allow users to assess the accuracy of posts and combat disinformation. However, since Musk acquired X, concerns over the platform’s content management have escalated, mainly after Musk decided to lay off many moderators. The European Commission had earlier flagged X as having a significant disinformation issue among major platforms.
In the United States, the controversy surrounding extremist material on X has led to an advertising boycott, a heated dispute between Musk and advocacy groups, and queries about X’s potential financial instability.
