European Commission Opens Proceedings Against X Over Digital Services Act

The European Commission has taken formal action against platform X, raising concerns about its compliance with certain provisions of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA, which came into effect in August, mandates that social media platforms implement effective and transparent moderation systems to combat the dissemination of false or harmful information within Europe.

Investigation into Illegal Content Spread

The investigation into X, led by the European Commission, will focus on the platform's handling of illegal content and the efficacy of its systems in place to address this issue. The Commission will closely examine X's "community notes" and blue tick verification system as part of this investigation.

Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for Internal Market, emphasized the significance of the proceedings, stating, "Today's initiation of formal proceedings against X highlights the fact that the era of major online platforms acting as if they are too influential to be accountable is over, thanks to the DSA."

Breton further stated, "We now have well-defined regulations, proactive obligations, robust oversight, swift enforcement, and deterrent penalties. We will leverage our full range of tools to safeguard our citizens and democracies."

Potential Penalties for X

The commencement of formal proceedings against X indicates an escalation of European scrutiny toward the platform. In the future, X may face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover as a result of this investigation. However, there are several intermediate stages before such penalties can be imposed, and specific deadlines have not yet been established by the regulatory body.

In response to the European Commission's actions, a representative from X assured Business Insider that the platform remains committed to complying with the Digital Services Act and is cooperating with the regulatory process. The representative emphasized the importance of maintaining a politically unbiased process that adheres to the law. X's primary focus is on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all platform users while safeguarding freedom of expression. The platform will continue to work diligently toward achieving these objectives.

It is worth noting that Elon Musk, the individual associated with X, has previously hinted at the possibility of making the platform inaccessible in Europe to evade the regulatory measures implemented by the European Commission. According to a source familiar with the matter, Musk expressed frustration regarding compliance with the Digital Services Act.

Source: Business Insider

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By: bnolan@insider.com (Beatrice Nolan)
Title: European Commission Opens Proceedings Against X Over Digital Services Act
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/european-commission-x-launched-investigation-elon-musk-social-media-2023-12
Published Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 13:42:19 +0000