The European Union has launched a formal inquiry into Elon Musk’s social platform, X, over potential dissemination of violent content, hate speech, and terrorist-related material following the attacks by Hamas on Israel. This marks the first investigation of its kind, guided by the EU’s newly introduced tech regulations that also scrutinize how grievances are addressed.
Previously recognized as Twitter, X reported the elimination of hundreds of accounts with ties to Hamas from its network. Other digital behemoths like TikTok and Meta also faced EU admonition over their perceived inadequate efforts to curb the spread of disinformation.
Growing tension between Israel and Hamas has ignited a wave of misinformation across social media platforms, with altered images and mislabeled videos becoming increasingly prevalent. In affirmation of this, Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry chief, confirmed on Thursday that X had been issued a “formal request for information” to ascertain whether the platform was in compliance with the requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The newly enacted law aims to safeguard users of major tech platforms.
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, had articulated earlier in the day that the platform had acted swiftly, pulling down hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts and tackling tens of thousands of content pieces flagged since the attack on Saturday. This action was in response to a communique delivered by Mr. Breton earlier in the week.
Designated as a terrorist organization by the EU, Hamas is a Palestinian militant group known for its aggressive campaigns against Israel. Over the weekend, severe attacks by Hamas in Israel resulted in approximately 1,300 deaths and 150 hostages taken into the Gaza region. In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes, purportedly killing more than 1,500 people in Gaza. The region is now described as “dire” by the UN’s World Food Programme, with food and water shortages becoming increasingly critical under the Israeli blockade; a situation expected to persist until the hostages are liberated.
Mr. Breton’s letter to Musk pointed out that “violent and terrorist content” had remained on X despite repeated warnings. While he did not delve too deeply into the disinformation referenced in the letter, Mr. Breton did mention the wide reportage of “fake and manipulated images and facts” on the platform.
In his subsequent response on X, Musk spoke of his company’s commitment to transparency: “Our policy is that everything is open and transparent, an approach that I know the EU supports. Please list the violations you allude to on X, so that the public can see them.”
The DSA was officially enacted in November of last year, with corporations given a grace period to ensure their systems were up to par. April 25 saw the commission listing out the largest online platforms (those boasting over 45 million EU users) that would be subject to its stringent guidelines. The law was finally implemented in August.
Under the new regulations, these larger corporations are required to evaluate potential risks they might pose, report this assessment, and implement corrective measures. Non-compliance with the DSA could lead to hefty fines; up to 6% of a company’s global revenue, and potential service suspension.
X has until October 18 to disclose details about its crisis response protocol, and until the end of October to address other areas of concern. Following his acquisition of the company in 2022, Musk proceeded to dissolve Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council, which was comprised of around 100 independent advisory groups.
On a separate note, a spokesperson for Meta assured that they are “working around the clock to keep our platforms safe” and have set up a “special operations center” staffed by professionals to keep a close watch on the developing situation.
