Because of its handling of disinformation and illegal content, the EU Commission is opening proceedings against the online platform X, formerly known as Twitter. According to the authority, it is examining whether Data access for researchers has been violated.
X has long been criticized for not taking decisive action against misinformation and hate speech. The EU Commission had already made an official request to the social network after numerous indications of illegal and misleading posts about the Gaza war.
A new EU law on digital services (DSA) requires online platforms to take strict action against illegal content such as hate speech and hate speech online. According to the EU Commission, this is the first procedure to be initiated against an online platform based on the new law. At the end of such a procedure there could be a large fine. The investigation will now examine whether X complies with regulations regarding the distribution of illegal content in the EU.
It’s also about the blue tick
X boss Elon Musk, billionaire and self-proclaimed “freedom of expression absolutist,” had relaxed the rules for moderating content at X. Many employees in this area also fell victim to a wave of layoffs at the San Francisco company.
The EU Commission’s proceedings also focus on the question of how effectively the platform combats information manipulation and advocates for greater transparency. In particular, the blue tick for accounts that are linked to subscriptions should be put to the test.
It is also about so-called Dark Patterns. These are practices intended to impair users’ ability to make autonomous and informed choices or decisions.