The European Union has launched infringement proceedings against Elon Musk‘s social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.
This action stems from suspected violations related to X’s transparency obligations, handling of illegal content and disinformation, and concerns regarding its user interface design, particularly the verification process denoted by blue checks.
Thierry Breton, the bloc’s regulator, announced the move on Monday, citing alleged breaches of X’s responsibilities in countering illegal content and disinformation.
Additionally, the EU has raised concerns about what it deems a “deceptive” design in the platform’s user interface regarding its blue check verification.
In response to inquiries, X provided a brief email statement: “Busy now, please check back later.”
The European Commission disclosed that the formal infringement proceedings under the Digital Services Act are based on a preliminary investigation.
This includes an analysis of X’s risk assessment report submitted in September, its Transparency report released on November 3, and the platform’s responses to a request for information.
The request addressed concerns regarding the dissemination of illegal content related to Hamas’ attacks on Israel.
The focus of the investigation will revolve around X’s compliance with countering the spread of illegal content in the EU, its efforts against information manipulation, and steps taken to enhance transparency.
Additionally, the inquiry will delve into the suspected deceptive design of X’s user interface, specifically scrutinizing the blue checks used for verified accounts.
X has clarified that blue ticks represent verified accounts subscribing to the X Premium service, meeting specific eligibility criteria without signs of platform manipulation or spam.
Following the initiation of proceedings, the Commission will continue to gather evidence, mentioning that the Digital Services Act does not impose a legal deadline for concluding formal proceedings.
Source-CNBC
