EU officials have reminded X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk that the social media platform needs to comply with the Digital Services Act.
It is no secret that X is currently struggling to comply with the ongoing regulations. As a result, Musk’s social media could soon be removed from the EU.
Now, EU officials have written to the 52-year-old tech mogul to remind him of X’s legal obligations regarding the DSA.
However, a person close to Elon Musk says, the Tesla CEO would rather block X in the entire EU region and restrict the app for Europeans than comply with the rules, according to a report by Business Insider.
Elon Musk’s X Is Being Accused Of Spreading Misinformation
Currently, X is teeming with posts with disinformation about the Israel-Hamas conflict. For example, some random video game footage is being presented as breaking news.
Following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against 🇮🇱, we have indications of X/Twitter being used to disseminate illegal content & disinformation in the EU.
Urgent letter to @elonmusk on #DSA obligations ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/avMm1LHq54
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 10, 2023
Also, old videos from Syria are being reshared on the platform as new ones in a bid to garner views and start a trend.
Since the platform is unable to review content, it can’t be considered a trustworthy news source. Moreover, X doesn’t automatically block antisemitic hate speech or posts glorifying terrorism.
To make things worse, Musk himself has been catching flak lately for sharing posts from accounts spreading racist content and conspiracy theories.
According to experts, if Musk blocks Europe, X’s traffic will fall by around 9 per cent. It is worth noting that the website’s traffic is already 40 per cent down since he bought it, according to some reports.
What happens if X refuses to comply?
Social media platforms that do not comply with the DSA’s rules are likely to face fines of up to 6 per cent of their global turnover. So, X would end up paying fines of up to 6 per cent of its global turnover if Musk doesn’t accept these rules.
JUST IN: Elon Musk reportedly held internal discussions to block access to X within the EU – Insider@elonmusk true? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/A7Q6nwi4D9
— Radar🚨 (@RadarHits) October 18, 2023
These fines could be a major issue since Twitter’s position is not the most favorable as far as revenue is concerned. Moreover, X could face a temporary suspension in the EU if it continually refuses to comply.
