Elon Musk’s X platform probed by EU over violent content about Hamas attack on Israel
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EU regulators have demanded answers from Elon Musk's X and have given the platform a week to respond.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BRUSSELS – Elon Musk’s X faces further intense scrutiny in the European Union, after regulators demanded answers over concerns about “illegal” and even “terrorist” content on the social media platform.
The European Commission late on Thursday said it sent X a formal request for information under its strict new digital content management rules, following indications of potential terrorist and violent content.
X, formerly known as Twitter, received a one-week ultimatum – until Oct 18 – to respond to regulators’ questions about “the activation and functioning” of its crisis-response protocol, and will have to respond on other questions by Oct 31, the commission said in a news release.
“This formal request for information is a step to fully understand what measures @X is taking to ensure online safety,” commission vice-president Vera Jourova wrote in a post on X.
The move comes after the EU’s internal market commissioner, Mr Thierry Breton, set a 24-hour deadline for X owner Mr Musk to respond to allegations
In the letter to X earlier this week, which Mr Breton posted on the social platform, he reminded Mr Musk that he has an obligation to take “very precise” content moderation measures under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
X faces possible fines if it provides the commission with “incorrect, incomplete or misleading information” in response, according to the news release.
X’s spokespeople did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
Mr John Kirby, spokesman for the United States National Security Council, told reporters on Thursday he was grateful that X removed some disinformation related to the attack on Israel.
ByteDance’s TikTok on Thursday was added to a growing list of leading social media players, along with Meta Platforms, that Mr Breton has been warning to take prompt action to stop the spread of disinformation.
Social media companies are required under the new law to hire more content moderators and use risk mitigation methods to decrease the spread of harmful content.
Companies that fail to comply could face fines as high as 6 per cent annual revenue, or even be banned from the bloc if they repeatedly break the rules. BLOOMBERG
