Europe intensifies pressure on X Amid disinformation concerns

Europe is escalating its regulatory efforts against Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly Twitter, amid growing concerns about disinformation and deepfakes.

Musk's acquisition of X, coupled with his reduced moderation team and controversial posts, has intensified EU scrutiny under its Digital Services Act (DSA), Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The DSA, which grants the EU significant regulatory powers, could potentially lead to severe penalties for non-compliance, including blocking access to the platform within the region.

The EU’s internal market commissioner Thierry Breton this week posted a letter on X hours before the billionaire interviewed US presidential candidate Donald Trump on the platform, threatening the “full use” of sanctions under the DSA if Musk failed to curb “illegal content”.

Both Musk and Trump’s campaign reacted angrily. Musk posted a meme from the film Tropic Thunder indicating to Breton.

Tensions have also been high since X became the first platform investigated under the DSA. While the EU has begun similar actions against other tech giants like Meta and TikTok, enforcement against X is complicated by reduced moderation resources and Musk’s provocative stance.

The UK's new Online Safety Act, aimed at curbing harmful content, mirrors the EU’s regulatory ambitions but faces its own challenges. As Europe grapples with these issues, officials are debating how to effectively enforce regulations without stifling innovation or provoking further defiance from Musk and other tech leaders.