The European Union has initiated a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s online platform, X, to determine whether it has violated the new social media regulations outlined in the Digital Services Act (DSA). This marks the first such investigation since the regulations aimed at mitigating toxic online content came into effect. European Commissioner Thierry Breton announced the formal infringement proceedings against X in a post on the platform, stating that the Commission would examine X’s systems and policies regarding suspected infringements without pre-judging the outcome.
The investigation will focus on whether X, formerly known as Twitter, adequately addressed the spread of illegal content and evaluated the effectiveness of measures, especially its Community Notes feature, in combating information manipulation. Additionally, the EU will scrutinize X’s transparency with researchers and investigate suspicions surrounding the user interface, including the blue check subscription service, to determine if it has a “deceptive design.”
In response to the investigation, X asserted its commitment to complying with the Digital Services Act and emphasized cooperation with the regulatory process. The company emphasized the importance of maintaining a process free of political influence and one that adheres to the law. X remains dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive environment while protecting freedom of expression.
The EU’s Digital Services Act, which became effective earlier this year, subjects major tech companies to stricter scrutiny and potential penalties of up to 6% of their global revenue or even a ban from the EU. The act aims to ensure user safety online and prevent the dissemination of harmful content, be it illegal material like child sexual abuse or terrorism-related content or violations of a platform’s terms of service, such as the promotion of genocide or anorexia.
X has been previously singled out by the EU as a significant hub for fake news, prompting officials to call on owner Elon Musk to take more substantial measures to address the issue. The European Commission had previously questioned X’s handling of hate speech, misinformation, and violent terrorist content during the Israel-Hamas conflict.