Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has responded to the European Union's threat to investigate the platform over alleged "illegal content and disinformation" regarding Hamas' terrorist attacks.
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton sent a letter to Musk on X earlier this week, demanding compliance with the EU's Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to remove illegal content, hate speech, and disinformation.
In the letter, Breton accused X of violating the act and disseminating illegal content and disinformation in the EU following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel. He called on X to take timely and objective action to remove content that violates the EU's new law. Breton also urged Musk to coordinate with law enforcement and Europol to ensure compliance, giving the platform 24 hours to respond.
Musk replied the same day, stating that the EU had failed to provide specific examples of violations. He emphasized X's policy of openness and transparency, requesting that the EU list the alleged violations on the platform for the public to see. Musk emphasized that X takes its actions in the open, without any backroom deals, and encouraged the EU to post its concerns explicitly on the platform.
X's new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, responded to the EU's demands on Wednesday, providing a detailed list of actions taken by the platform to address illegal content and alleged disinformation. Yaccarino noted that since the terrorist attacks by Hamas, X has redistributed resources and refocused internal teams to address the rapidly evolving situation.
Yaccarino stated that X is working to remove accounts created by terrorist organizations and violent extremist groups. The platform has taken action to remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content related to the attacks, with Community Notes visible on thousands of posts. Yaccarino claimed that X had not received any notices from Europol regarding illegal content.
X has assembled a leadership group to assess the situation and reiterated its policies on violent and hateful speech and illegal content. The platform's public interest interstitials limit the reach of harmful but not illegal content, allowing it to remain accessible while reducing engagement and algorithmic recommendations. X users have the ability to report posts and direct messages believed to be illegal, and the platform has already removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts.
Furthermore, X has worked with law enforcement agencies and responded to over 80 requests in the EU to take down content. The platform has utilized its Community Notes feature to address misleading content, with over 700 unique notes related to the attacks and unfolding events. X expressed willingness to engage further with the EU and requested a meeting to address specific questions and provide further responses.
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