The European Union has initiated infringement proceedings against social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, over suspicions of failure to combat content disinformation and manipulation. This marks the first probe under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a set of regulations aimed at regulating large online platforms. The European Commission has stated that the proceedings were triggered by suspected breaches of X's transparency obligations and its responsibilities to counter illegal content and disinformation. The investigation also focuses on what the EU refers to as a “deceptive” user interface design, particularly regarding X's blue checks.

In response to the news, X, which is run by Elon Musk, provided a brief email statement stating that they were currently busy and requested to check back later. The European Commission has disclosed that it launched the proceedings based on a preliminary investigation, including an analysis of X's risk assessment report, the transparency report published by X, and the platform's replies to a formal request for information. One of the concerns raised in the request for information was the dissemination of illegal content in relation to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel.

The Digital Services Act, which came into effect in November 2022, requires large online platforms like X to mitigate the risk of disinformation and implement strict procedures to remove hate speech while considering freedom of expression. Companies found guilty of breaching the regulations could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenues. The formal infringement proceedings will specifically focus on X's compliance with countering the dissemination of illegal content in the EU, the effectiveness of the platform's measures against information manipulation, and its efforts to increase transparency. The investigation will also examine the suspected "deceptive design" of X's user interface, specifically concerning the platform's blue checks.

Following the launch of the proceedings, the European Commission stated that the evidence-gathering process would continue, without specifying a legal deadline for concluding the formal proceedings. The probe was foreshadowed by EU regulator Thierry Breton's mid-October warning to Meta and TikTok, urging them to remain vigilant against disinformation and violent posts related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Breton emphasized that penalties could be imposed after the opening of an investigation and the finding of non-compliance.

In a separate incident, X was subject to a complaint from privacy activist Max Schrems, who alleged that the platform unlawfully used people's political views and religious beliefs to target them with ads, thereby violating EU rules. It remains to be seen how the investigation into X's compliance with the DSA will unfold.

In a related development, the European Union has given Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, a one-week deadline to provide further details on its efforts to combat the spread of illegal content and disinformation on its platforms in the wake of Hamas attacks in Israel. The European Commission issued a formal request for information to Meta, seeking clarification on the steps the company has taken to prevent the dissemination of "terrorist and violent content and hate speech." Similarly, TikTok has been asked to provide more information on its measures against the spread of such content, although the commission did not explicitly mention the Israel-Hamas conflict in its request.

Last week, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton sent letters to several social media companies, including Meta and TikTok, demanding that they outline the measures they were implementing to comply with the content moderation rules outlined in the Digital Services Act. Meta responded by stating that its teams had been working diligently to monitor its platforms since the Hamas attacks, outlining some of the actions taken against misinformation and content that violates its policies. TikTok, on the other hand, announced the launch of a command center to coordinate the efforts of its safety professionals worldwide and improve its software for automatically detecting and removing graphic and violent content.

However, the European Commission has made it clear that it requires more information from both Meta and TikTok. The commission has given both companies until October 25 to respond to its requests and has warned that it has the authority to impose financial penalties if it is dissatisfied with their responses. Additionally, the companies are expected to detail their plans for protecting the integrity of elections on their platforms by November 8. Both Meta and TikTok are bound by the obligations set out in the DSA, a significant piece of legislation enacted in August to more rigorously regulate large tech companies and safeguard individuals' rights online.

These formal requests from the European Commission come after it issued a similar ultimatum to X, asking for information on how the platform intends to prevent the spread of illegal, misleading, violent, and hateful content. The commission has announced an investigation into X's compliance with the DSA but has not initiated parallel investigations into Meta or TikTok.

The investigation into X's potential breach of social media regulations demonstrates the EU's commitment to holding online platforms accountable for combating disinformation and ensuring the transparency and safety of their services. As the proceedings progress, it remains to be seen how X, Meta, and TikTok will respond to the European Commission's requests for further information and whether any penalties will be imposed for non-compliance with the DSA.