The intent with which Elon Musk bought X, aka Twitter, has been achieved, but at the cost of hampering the quality of discourse on the platform. Musk has been advocating free speech on X, but as a consequence, he perpetuated hate and misinformation to penetrate the microblogging site. An example of this is restoring accounts of conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones and dissolving the content moderation council.
Recently, Elon Musk came under fire for engaging in a post that fueled anti-Semitism, supporting the ‘Great Replacement Theory’. This has made advertisers opt out of the platform, and a report about their content is placed next to pro-Hitler and pro-Nazi content. The advertisers’ exodus has affected advertising revenue, the main channel of revenue for the company. Now, the European Union has decided to investigate misinformation and hate speech on the platform under The Digital Services Act.
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EU Launches A Probe Against X For Failing To Counter Misinformation And Hate Speech
The European Union will practice its authority under The Digital Services Act for the first time by launching an investigation into Elon Musk’s X’s failure to contain misinformation being spread on the platform. The new passage of the act allows the authorities to probe into any malpractices in allowing the spreading of misinformation, hate speech, and divisive content on social media platforms.
The 27-nation executive bloc of the European Union started a “preliminary inquiry” into the widespread misinformation on X during the Israel-Hamas war, which started in October 2023.
The Vice President of the EU’s Executive Commission said in a statement, “The evidence we currently have is enough to formally open a proceeding against X. The Commission will carefully investigate X’s compliance with the DSA, to ensure European citizens are safeguarded online.”
X also released a statement saying that it will comply with the investigation, saying, “X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal.”
If Elon Musk-owned X is found guilty of violating The Digital Services Act, it has to pay six percent of its global revenue as a fine.
In Case You Missed: Elon Musk Is Ready For Financial Loss After Restoring X Account Of Right-Wing Conspiracy Kingpin Alex Jones
The Company Failed To Take Down Posts On X During Riots In Ireland
The EU member, Ireland, saw riots erupt in its capital, Dublin, in November 2023 after the news of an immigrant killing civilians went viral. The November 23, 2023, riots caused greater damage to transportation, and many people were left injured. The stores were looted, with a bus and a tram getting incinerated during the riots. It is believed that the riots were organized after pre-planning and incited by the groups on X.
Elon Musk and other right-wing personalities on X reacted to the violence that occurred during the riots. Tucker Carlson believed that the government was trying to replace the population with immigrants. Musk claimed that Ireland’s Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, hates the citizens of Ireland.
The Justice Minister of Ireland, Helen McEntee, said that Elon Musk-owned X did not comply with the Irish police, Garda Síochána, when they instructed them to take the posts, spreading misinformation. McEntee claims that X “didn’t engage. They did not fulfill their own community standards.”
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