On Nov. 29, Elon Musk, the CEO of X, told advertisers to “go f— yourself” after many users left the social media platform in response to antisemitic content and a hate speech report.
The European Commission announced the launch of formal proceedings against X — formerly Twitter — over content related to terrorist group Hamas’ attacks on Israel.
The commission stated in a December 18 notice that it intended to investigate whether X violated the Digital Services Act in its response to misinformation and illegal content on the platform. The government agency said X was being investigated for the effectiveness of its Community Notes — comments added to specific tweets to provide context — as well as policies “mitigating risks to civic discourse and electoral processes.”
The notice stated, “The Commission is empowered to take further enforcement actions, including interim measures and non-compliance decisions, upon the opening of formal proceedings.” “Any commitment made by X to remedy the matters on which the proceeding is pending may also be accepted by the Commission.”
A review of X’s blue check mark system, which the commission labeled a “suspected deceptive design” on the platform, will be part of the proceedings. The European Commission also stated that X’s attempts to improve the transparency of the publicly accessible data on the platform included “suspected shortcomings.”
Following his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, Elon Musk, the owner of X, instituted contentious policies at the social media behemoth, drawing censure from a plethora of seasoned users and analysts of the tech sector. Reducing the number of content moderators, dismantling Twitter’s recognizable blue check verification system, and reducing the trust and safety team were all under the purview of the former CEO.
Musk responded to a tweet endorsing far-right conspiracy theories on his personal account, thereby promoting antisemitic content, after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. In November, a report by the watchdog group Media Matters revealed that, depending on the search parameters, big business ads on X could appear next to pro-Nazi content.
Musk told advertisers to “go f— yourself” during an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin on Nov. 29, saying the exodus was “gonna kill the company.” After filing a lawsuit against Media Matters, the social media site claimed it was “the platform for free speech,” claiming the group’s report did not reflect what the average X user sees.
Conclusion
The EU Commission’s move to target entity X over the ‘dissemination of illegal content’ signals a proactive stance on ensuring the safety and integrity of online spaces. As the investigation unfolds, stakeholders will closely monitor the developments, anticipating potential consequences for entity X and examining the broader implications for the regulatory environment governing digital platforms in the European Union.
