Elon Musk's Safety Standard Changes At X Amplifying Russian Propaganda: Report

A study carried out by the European Union highlighted that modifications made by Elon Musk to X‘s, formerly known as Twitter, safety protocols are contributing significantly to the propagation of Russian misinformation, Business Insider reported.

“The reach and influence of Kremlin-backed accounts has grown further in the first half of 2023, driven in particular by the dismantling of Twitter’s safety standards,” stated the Reset research group that conducted the year-long study.

Before Musk’s acquisition of X, Twitter was committed to labeling and reducing the visibility of Kremlin-associated accounts. This policy was discontinued in April after Musk’s restructuring of the platform.

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The European Union’s Digital Services Act, which mandates tech giants to proactively address safety risks or face hefty penalties, would have been violated by X’s lack of action against disinformation, according to the study.

Despite their attempts, social media platforms like Telegram and Meta META have been unsuccessful in curbing Russian disinformation campaigns, the research found.

At the time of writing, X has not responded to a request for comment on the study’s findings.

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