We talked about this a few weeks ago. And the situation between the European Union and Twitter (now X) was very tense, with threats from both sides. The EU accuses Twitter of being a social network that only promotes misinformation, Elon Musk denies it.
The European Commission has announced the opening of a formal infringement procedure regarding the operation of X and possible violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, made a sarcastic comment about X, detailing the alleged non-compliance by the platform with its obligations of transparency and fight against illegal content. The possible “deceptive design” of X is also being investigated.
A war that comes from afar
In February 2023, all online services operating in the EU were required to declare their size to determine if they were a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP).
A VLOP is any platform with more than 45 million users throughout the EU. Any company designated as a VLOP had four months to comply with the DSA. These measures include establishing a specific point of contact, transparency in advertising and content moderation, and clear and user-friendly conditions.
It also requires identifying and mitigating risks such as illegal content, gender-based violence, and child protection. Other logistical stipulations include allowing authorized researchers access to data that informs about systemic risks in the EU, sharing data with the Commission, and undergoing an annual independent audit.
The Commission’s measures are a result of a risk assessment report presented by X in September, a transparency report published by the platform in November, and the concern raised by the way X manages -or mismanages, in its case- content about the war between Israel and Hamas.
Thierry Breton sent a letter to Elon Musk regarding the platform’s responsibility to moderate messages in accordance with the DSA. And shortly after, the European Union has opened an investigation into the management of X.
