EU Probes X, Testing New Tech Regulations

European Union’s industry chief, Thierry Breton, announced on Thursday the commencement of an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, marking the first such probe under the newly established EU tech regulations.

The decision comes shortly after Breton’s public admonition of social media giants, TikTok and Meta, for their perceived inadequacy in combatting the proliferation of disinformation in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel.

All three digital platforms have experienced an alarming surge in false and misleading content concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict, with disinformation being particularly rampant on the X platform, according to insights from social media researchers, as reported by Reuters.

Read more: EU’s Breton Says Twitter Cannot Hide From EU Regulation

Breton’s decisive move intensifies the pressure on TikTok and Meta to swiftly eradicate illicit and harmful content from their platforms, thereby aligning with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA, which was enacted in November of the preceding year, places a greater onus on major online platforms and search engines to proactively address illegal content and threats to public security, while also safeguarding their services against manipulative tactics.

Earlier on Thursday, X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, disclosed that the platform had taken robust actions to combat disinformation in response to Breton’s call. Hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts have been removed from the platform, and tens of thousands of pieces of content were either deleted or labeled in the aftermath of the attack.

“We have dispatched a formal request for information to @X, marking the initial step in our investigation to assess compliance with the DSA,” Breton stated in a post on the X platform.

Source: Reuters