Unelected bureaucrats in the European Union (EU) have launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s Twitter/X.
X is accused of allowing “illegal content” to be shared on the social media platform such as so-called “hate speech.”
European Commissioner Thierry Breton accuses Musk and X of failing their obligations to keep “disinformation” and wrongthink off the platform.
The eurocrat announced the probe in a post on X, saying: “Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X.”
The EU will also investigate concerns that X’s user interface, including the “blue tick” system, has a “deceptive design.”
The investigation will consider whether X’s measures to combat “misinformation” have been sufficiently effective.
Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X :
⚠️ Suspected breach of obligations to counter #IllegalContent and #Disinformation
⚠️ Suspected breach of #Transparency obligations
⚠️ Suspected #DeceptiveDesign of user interface#DSA pic.twitter.com/NxKIif603k
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) December 18, 2023
In a post on X Mr Breton wrote that X was now under investigation for: ‘Suspected failure of obligation to counter #IllegalContent and #Disinformation.’
Breton says that the probe will also cover “suspected breach of #Transparency obligations” and “suspected #DeceptiveDesign of the user interface.”
This follows mounting allegations from pro-censorship groups that X has allowed “hate speech” to go unchecked.
Musk promised a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against leftist propaganda organization Media Matters for America after the group falsely accused X of placing ads alongside antisemitic content.
“The Commission will now investigate X’s systems and policies related to certain suspected infringements,” EU spokesman Johannes Bahrke told a press briefing in Brussels.
Bahrke added: “It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.”
This is the first prosecution under the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA).
The wide-reaching set of authoritarian regulations is designed to place control of the online information flow in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.
The DSA, which came into force in August, gives the EU the power to fine a company for 6 percent of its global income.
EU officials can also ban a company from operating in the bloc if a breach is found.
In October, the European Commission announced that it would be opening an investigation into X.
Breton and his allies had sent a formal request for information to the company.
This obliged X to provide evidence that it was meeting its obligations under the law, despite the company having left the EU’s voluntary “code of practice” for “disinformation” in May.
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