The European Commission recently issued a warning to X Corp. owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino regarding the dissemination of illegal content, including incitements to violence and hate speech, on their social media platform. The warning comes in light of recent events in the United Kingdom and concerns over the spread of harmful content on the platform.
European Commissioner for the internal market, Thierry Breton, expressed concerns about the potential risks associated with the spread of content that may incite violence, hate, and racism in the context of major political and societal events. Breton called on X Corp. to ensure the effectiveness of their systems in preventing such content and to report the measures taken to address these issues.
In response to the warning from the European Commission, CEO Linda Yaccarino criticized the attempt to apply European laws to political activities in the US, where X Corp. is based. Yaccarino also defended the ability of European citizens to draw their own conclusions from conversations on the platform without the need for censorship.
Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, is set to host a live conversation with former US President Donald Trump on X’s streaming platform, Spaces. The event has raised concerns about potential violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act, which mandates the prevention of hate speech and harmful content on online platforms.
The European Commission has been conducting an investigation into X Corp.’s compliance with the Digital Services Act, given the platform’s significant user base in the EU. The Commission has the authority to enforce interim measures, such as changes to recommender systems or monitoring of specific keywords, to address illegal content on the platform.
Elon Musk has faced criticism for making incendiary comments about recent events in the UK, including suggesting the possibility of civil war. His remarks have been denounced by British officials, who have highlighted the role of misinformation in inciting violence and unrest.
The European Commission has the power to impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s global revenue for violations of the Digital Services Act. X Corp. has previously been accused of breaking the rules on dark patterns, advertising transparency, and data access for researchers.
The warning issued by the European Commission to X Corp. highlights the growing concerns over the spread of illegal content on social media platforms. It underscores the need for greater oversight and regulation to prevent the incitement of violence, hate, and racism online. X Corp. and other tech companies must take proactive measures to address these issues and comply with EU laws to protect users from harm.
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