In a startling development, the European Union has issued a warning to tech mogul Elon Musk, asserting that his social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), is being used to propagate “illegal content and disinformation.” The warning was publicly disclosed through a Tweet by Thierry Breton, the EU’s digital chief. The letter, dated Wednesday, expressed deep concerns following recent events, particularly the Hamas attack against Israel, which heightened the EU’s worries.
The communication from Breton, who serves as the European Union’s commissioner for industry and the digital economy, falls within his responsibilities to regulate internet giants operating within the EU. The EU holds stringent rules on content moderation, especially concerning violent and terrorist content, which has allegedly been circulating on Musk’s platform.
Breton’s letter demanded that X respond to the complaint within 24 hours and also urged Musk’s team to contact Europol, the EU’s police coordinating agency. This incident is now part of the EU’s assessment of X’s compliance with the newly introduced EU Digital Services Act, which governs online platforms. Noncompliance could result in penalties for the tech magnate’s platform.
Musk quickly responded on X, inviting Breton to “please list the violations you allude to” and asserting that X follows an open-source and transparent policy. The EU has previously raised concerns about X’s dissemination of online disinformation and has been closely monitoring its efforts to comply with the EU’s regulations.
This latest warning comes in the wake of escalating violence and tensions in the Middle East, with experts warning that misinformation on social media platforms can exacerbate real-world harm and further incite hate and violence. The EU’s actions signal a growing focus on accountability and content regulation for tech giants operating in the European market.
