X must respond to a series of questions sent by EU officials regarding illegal content and disinformation by next week, sources close to the matter have stated. Failure to do so could lead to fines of up to 5 percent of the company's daily global turnover, they report.
This will mark the first time EU regulators will exercise the powers of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which was set in place to "keep European citizens safe online" and regulate how "big tech should police the internet."
The EU officials would also like to know what protocols X has in place to deal with misinformation during a "crisis."
EU commissioner Thierry Breton wrote to Elon Musk earlier in the week to raise concerns that X was "being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation."
Breton, who is also the enforcer of the DSA, warned the platform must introduce "proportionate and effective mitigation measures" to combat disinformation. He posted the letter to X, after which the two got into a cheeky back-and-forth on the platform.
He wrote: “We have, from qualified sources, reports about potentially illegal content circulating on your service despite flags from relevant authorities."
Musk wrote in response on his platform: “Our policy is that everything is open source and transparent, an approach that I know the EU supports. Please list the violations you allude to on X, so that that [sic] the public can see them. Merci beaucoup.”
Breton replied: “Vu, merci. You are well aware of your users’ — and authorities’— reports on fake content and glorification of violence. Up to you to demonstrate that you walk the talk.”
Musk then ended the online dispute: "We take our actions in the open. No back room deals. Please post your concerns explicitly on this platform."
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
