platform
Disinformation on X: Network agency expects legal dispute
The Federal Network Agency is arguing with Platform X about disinformation (symbolic image). photo
© Fabian Sommer/dpa
The Foreign Office uncovered a pro-Russian campaign on X in January. The Federal Network Agency now wants to take action against the platform. This is likely to be a long road.
The Federal Network Agency expects a conflict with the Billionaire Elon Musk’s Platform X (formerly Twitter) is in a long legal battle. Since Musk took over, X has not paid enough attention to hate speech.
“We expect that the matter will end up in court and that it may have to be fought all the way to the European Court of Justice,” said authority President Klaus Müller to “Spiegel”. “We believe that X is acting unlawfully.” This will be documented and demonstrated – and the responsible EU Commissioner, Thierry Breton, will hopefully set an example.
The dispute is about disinformation. The Foreign Office uncovered a pro-Russian campaign on X in January. 50,000 fake user accounts in German attempted to stir up discontent against the federal government and undermine support for Ukraine, according to analysis by ministry experts. Müller said that the network agency is currently preparing this information in a court-proof manner and sending it to Brussels, where the EU Commission will take care of it.
In the EU, the supervision of large online platforms like X is the responsibility of the Brussels authority. National authorities such as the Network Agency can support you in this.