EU probes X over possible violations of Digital Services Act
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The Commission revealed it has issued "three additional technical investigatory measures" to X as part of the formal proceedings initiated on December 18, 2023.
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FILE - A view of a laptop shows the Twitter sign-in page with their logo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, July 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File)
The European Commission announced on Friday that it has requested additional information from the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, regarding changes to its recommendation algorithms and content moderation policies. The Commission suspects that these changes may constitute further breaches of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
This latest inquiry follows accusations in July 2024, when the Commission warned X of potential non-compliance with the DSA. At the time, the platform was criticized for insufficient advertising transparency and for restricting researchers' access to its public data. The Commission threatened fines of up to 6% of X's global annual turnover unless the issues were resolved.
In a statement on Friday, the Commission revealed it has now issued "three additional technical investigatory measures" to X as part of the formal proceedings initiated on December 18, 2023.
"Today, the Commission has addressed three additional technical investigatory measures to X relating to the platform's recommender system. These fact-finding steps take place within the scope of the formal proceedings opened on 18 December 2023 under the Digital Services Act (DSA)," the statement read.
The Commission is requiring X to submit internal documentation on its recommender system, including any recent changes, by February 15. Additionally, the platform must provide access to "certain commercial APIs, technical interfaces to its content that allow direct fact-finding on content moderation and virality of accounts."
Growing Concerns Over Content Moderation
The inquiry comes amid mounting concerns that recent changes to X's algorithmic recommendations may be amplifying right-wing content.
German politicians have raised alarms over the platform's role in promoting politically sensitive material, particularly in the lead-up to European elections. Allegations have also surfaced about X's interactions with controversial figures, including Alice Weidel, the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The Commission has also sought clarity on how these algorithmic changes may influence public discourse, especially regarding the virality of divisive content. Critics have accused X of failing to mitigate risks to democratic processes, a core requirement of the DSA.
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The Digital Services Act, which came into effect in May 2023, is designed to establish a safer and more transparent digital environment within the EU. It obligates online platforms to implement effective content moderation systems to prevent the spread of false, misleading, or harmful information. Platforms found in breach of these regulations face significant financial penalties.
