In a significant move, the European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, raising concerns about its compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA puts strict controls on social media companies to moderate “misinformation.”
Business Insider reports that the European Commission’s decision to investigate Elon Musk’s X/Twitter marks a major development in the enforcement of the newly implemented regulations. The DSA, which came into effect in August, mandates social media platforms to maintain effective and transparent systems for moderating and removing false or harmful information within Europe. The Commission’s concerns revolve around X/Twitter’s capacity to effectively manage risk and content moderation.
Elon Musk’s X logo for Twitter (Anadolu Agency/Getty)
Elon Musk has previously hinted at the possibility of withdrawing X/Twitter from the European market to circumvent the stringent regulations imposed by the DSA. However, the Commission’s latest action signifies a tightening of scrutiny over online platforms, particularly those owned by high-profile figures like Musk.
Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for Internal Market, emphasized the end of an era where large online platforms could operate with little regard for regulations. The investigation will particularly focus on how X/Twitter handles the spread of illegal content and the efficacy of its internal systems, including “community notes” and a blue tick verification system, to combat such content.
“Today’s opening of formal proceedings against X makes it clear that, with the DSA, the time of big online platforms behaving like they are too big to care has come to an end,” Breton said.
While the investigation could potentially lead to hefty fines for X/Twitter, amounting to up to six percent of its global revenues, several steps remain before such penalties could be applied. The timeline for the investigation and any subsequent actions remains unclear.
In response to the investigation, a representative from X/Twitter reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to complying with the DSA. They emphasized the importance of a politically unbiased process and the platform’s ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for users, balancing content protection with freedom of expression.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.