The European Union has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X. The inquiry is a significant move against the platform, accusing it of failing to counter illicit content, lacking transparency in advertising, and deceptive design practices. The investigation will test the EU's ability to enforce behavior change in large internet platforms.
The E.U. is investigating Elon Musk’s platform X for failing to counter illicit content and disinformation, lack of transparency about advertising, and “deceptive” design practices. This is the most substantial regulatory move against X since Mr. Musk bought the service, once known as Twitter, last year. The European Commission is using the authority gained after last year’s passage of the Digital Services Act to force social media companies to police their platforms for hate speech, misinformation, and other divisive content. The investigation is expected to include interviews with outside groups and requests for more evidence from X. If found guilty of violating the Digital Services Act, the company could be fined up to 6 percent of global revenue. Since Mr. Musk took control of the platform, there has been a rise in antisemitic content, hateful posts, and engagement with pro-Kremlin accounts. The investigation will also examine X’s efforts to address the spread of false information and its content moderation policies in languages other than English, particularly as elections across the continent approach in 2024. Mr. Musk has been an outspoken proponent for free speech rights and, in May, pulled X out of the E.U.’s voluntary code of practice intended to combat disinformation. In October, after the E.U. initiated its preliminary inquiry, Mr. Musk challenged regulators to share evidence of illicit content on X.
The E.U. is investigating Elon Musk’s platform X for failing to counter illicit content and disinformation, lack of transparency about advertising, and “deceptive” design practices. This is the most substantial regulatory move against X since Mr. Musk bought the service, once known as Twitter, last year. The European Commission is using the authority gained after last year’s passage of the Digital Services Act to force social media companies to police their platforms for hate speech, misinformation, and other divisive content. The investigation is expected to include interviews with outside groups and requests for more evidence from X. If found guilty of violating the Digital Services Act, the company could be fined up to 6 percent of global revenue. Since Mr. Musk took control of the platform, there has been a rise in antisemitic content, hateful posts, and engagement with pro-Kremlin accounts. The investigation will also examine X’s efforts to address the spread of false information and its content moderation policies in languages other than English, particularly as elections across the continent approach in 2024. Mr. Musk has been an outspoken proponent for free speech rights and, in May, pulled X out of the E.U.’s voluntary code of practice intended to combat disinformation. In October, after the E.U. initiated its preliminary inquiry, Mr. Musk challenged regulators to share evidence of illicit content on X.