Former Twitter - "Dissemination of illegal content": EU Commission opens proceedings against online service X
The EU Commission has opened formal proceedings against the online service X (formerly Twitter) for the dissemination of false information. The Commission announced on Monday that it had initiated investigations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the "dissemination of illegal content", among other things. The US company had not provided satisfactory answers to a request for information from Brussels.
According to the Commission, it also wants to check whether the so-called blue checkmarks on the platform can have a "deceptive" effect. Owner Elon Musk had introduced a subscription model on X that allows users to buy the blue tick. The tick had previously indicated the authenticity of the profiles of institutions and celebrities, for example. The Commission also suspects that X does not provide sufficient data on advertisements on the platform.
According to the EU, X has the highest proportion of false information
Brussels had already warned X in October for spreading false information in connection with the war between Israel and Hamas. Large internet companies are obliged under the DSA, which came into force at the end of August, to take action against disinformation on their platforms. According to a study by the EU Commission, X has the highest proportion of such misinformation. Critics accuse owner Elon Musk of having greatly reduced content moderation and action against hate speech and misinformation since taking over Twitter last year.
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The EU Commission is also examining the impact of Elon Musk's subscription model for the blue checkmarks on Twitter (formerly X), suspecting it may lead to a deceptive use of these verifications. Furthermore, the Commission raised concerns about Twitter's alleged failure to provide sufficient data on advertisements on the platform, which contributes to the dissemination of false information.
Source: www.stern.de
