"The European Commission announced the initiation of formal procedures to investigate X, formerly known as Twitter, regarding content related to attacks by the terrorist group Hamas against Israel.
In a notice issued on December 18, the commission stated its intention to assess whether X's handling of misinformation and illegal content on its platform violated the Digital Services Act. The commission clarified that this move allows them to undertake further enforcement measures, including provisional measures and non-compliance decisions. Additionally, they can consider any undertakings proposed by X to rectify the matters under investigation.
The formal proceedings will specifically scrutinize X's blue checkmark system, referred to as an 'allegedly deceptive design' by the commission. Furthermore, the European Commission noted 'suspected deficiencies' in X's efforts to enhance the transparency of the platform's public data. Following Elon Musk's ownership of Twitter in 2022, the social media platform underwent controversial changes. Musk, then CEO, faced criticism for downsizing Twitter's trust and safety team, reducing content reviewers, and altering the platform's iconic blue check verification system.
In the wake of Hamas' attack on Israel in early October, Musk used his personal account to engage with a tweet that promoted far-right conspiracy theories and shared anti-Semitic content. A report released in November by the watchdog group Media Matters revealed major companies' ads appearing alongside pro-Nazi content under specific search conditions on X.
During a November 29 interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Musk expressed frustration towards advertisers, stating 'fuck you,' following the exodus of many users, and warned that the brain drain would 'destroy the company.' X claims to champion free speech and filed a lawsuit against Media Matters, asserting that the group's reporting did not represent the typical X user's experience.
As of now, Elon Musk has not publicly commented on the European Commission's investigation. Beyond his role in promoting Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies, Musk is recognized in the cryptocurrency realm for leading Tesla and SpaceX."
