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The European Commission has announced a formal investigation into the platform formerly known as Twitter (X)
EU cited potential violations of the bloc's new Digital Services Act (DSA).
"The Commission has concerns regarding the dissemination of illegal content in the context of Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel," stated the Commission in a press release.
The investigation will delve into X's content moderation practices, focusing on its efforts to combat the spread of illegal content and address potential "information manipulation" through its Community Notes system and other policies.
Notably, the probe will extend beyond content moderation, covering aspects like:
- “Deceptive design” related to the platform's verification system ("Blue checks")
- Transparency in advertising practices
- Data access for researchers
Margrethe Vestager, EU Executive Vice-President, emphasized the growing responsibility of large online platforms under the DSA, stating:
"The higher the risk large platforms pose to our society, the more specific the requirements of the Digital Services Act are.
We take any breach of our rules very seriously. And the evidence we currently have is enough to formally open a proceeding against X."
Thierry Breton, EU commissioner for Internal markets, echoed this sentiment, declaring:
"Today's opening of formal proceedings against X makes it clear that, with the DSA, the time of big online platforms behaving like they are 'too big to care' has come to an end."
This formal investigation comes following concerns raised by Breton in October 2023 regarding the spread of "illegal content and disinformation" on X.
EU responded by outlining its moderation efforts, including the removal of "hundreds" of Hamas-affiliated accounts and "tens of thousands of pieces of content."
EU subsequently issued a formal request for information, similar to those sent to Meta and TikTok.
