The European Commission recently issued a warning to X Corp. owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino regarding the spread of illegal content, including incitements to violence and hate speech, on their social media platform. This warning comes in response to recent events in the United Kingdom and the planned broadcast of a live conversation between a US presidential candidate and Musk on X.
Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market, expressed concerns about the dissemination of content that may incite violence, hate, and racism in conjunction with major political events around the world. Breton urged X Corp. to ensure the effectiveness of their systems and report the measures taken to address these issues.
In response to the letter from the European Commission, Linda Yaccarino called it an unprecedented attempt to stretch a law intended for Europe to apply to political activities in the US. She also accused the commission of patronizing European citizens by suggesting they are incapable of drawing their own conclusions.
Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, is set to host Donald Trump on the streaming platform of X for an unscripted conversation. The European Commission reminded Musk of the due diligence obligations set out in the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) concerning the prevention of hate speech and harmful content on platforms.
With X Corp. having 300 million users worldwide, of which one-third are based in the EU, it is designated as a Very Large Online Platform and has a legal obligation to follow European laws such as the Digital Services Act. The recent riots in the UK, sparked by disinformation spread on X, have raised concerns about the potential harm caused by illegal content.
Musk’s incendiary comments about the situation in the UK have been condemned by British officials. He made remarks suggesting that civil war in the UK is inevitable, which has caused outrage. Musk also shared fake news about the UK building detainment camps on the Falkland Islands, further fueling tensions.
The European Commission has initiated an investigation into X Corp. to assess whether they are in breach of the Digital Services Act. Breton emphasized the potential spillovers in the EU from illegal content distributed on X, highlighting the need for stringent measures to address these issues.
Under the Digital Services Act, the European Commission has the authority to enforce interim measures such as changes to recommender systems, increased monitoring of keywords, and fines of up to 6% of a company’s global annual revenue for violations. X Corp. has previously been accused of breaking rules regarding dark patterns, advertising transparency, and data access.
The warning issued by the European Commission to X Corp. and Elon Musk underscores the importance of addressing illegal content and hate speech on social media platforms. The potential penalties and restrictions that X Corp. may face in Europe highlight the need for companies to comply with regulations and take proactive measures to prevent the spread of harmful content. It is crucial for platforms like X to prioritize the safety and well-being of their users by implementing effective systems to combat illegal content and hate speech.