Elon Musk's social media platform X has been found in violation of the European Union's online content regulations, according to a ruling by EU tech regulators on Friday. This decision could result in substantial fines and necessitate significant changes in how X operates within the EU.
The European Commission's action follows a seven-month investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates that large online platforms and search engines take more robust measures to combat illegal content and threats to public security. X was scrutinized alongside other major platforms such as ByteDance's TikTok, AliExpress, and Meta Platforms.
The commission highlighted several areas of concern regarding X's operations. These include the use of dark patterns that manipulate user behavior, a lack of transparency in advertising practices, and restricted data access for researchers. Additionally, X's system of verified accounts, marked by a blue checkmark, was criticized for not aligning with industry standards and hindering users' ability to verify the authenticity of accounts they interact with.
Furthermore, X failed to comply with the DSA requirement to maintain a searchable and reliable advertisement repository. The platform was also accused of blocking researchers from accessing its public data, which is essential for independent analysis and transparency.
If found guilty of these breaches, X could face fines of up to 6 percent of its global turnover. The company has been given several months to respond to the charges. EU industry chief Thierry Breton stated, \"X has now the right of defense – but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes.\"
Separate investigations are ongoing regarding the spread of illegal content on X and the platform's efforts to counteract disinformation.
Reference(s):
Elon Musk's X deceiving users in breach of online content rules: EU
cgtn.com
