Elon Musk Asked By EU Industry Chief To Combat Misinformation On X Platform Amid Israel-Hamas War

In the wake of a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, Thierry Breton, the EU industry chief, has called on Elon Musk to address the spread of disinformation on the X messaging platform, previously known as Twitter.

What Happened: Breton expressed concerns to Musk via a letter regarding the misuse of X to disseminate illegal content and misinformation within the European Union, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday. The EU official encouraged Musk to ensure the effectiveness of his systems and shed light on the crisis measures taken.

In response, Musk stated that his company operates on a policy of transparency and open source. He also urged Breton to make public the violations noted on X.

Breton emphasized the obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) that large online platforms like X must adhere to, including the removal of illegal content and management of public security and civic discourse risks. He also requested Musk to work closely with relevant law enforcement authorities and Europol, and provide a comprehensive response within 24 hours.

See Also: Should Microsoft Bing, Apple’s iMessage Play By New Rules? EU Asks Users And Rivals

Companies that fail to comply with the DSA could face EU fines, which can go up to 6% of a company’s global turnover.

Why It Matters: This exchange comes at a time when X is under scrutiny for its role in the recent Israel crisis. Just before the EU official’s warning, X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino canceled her appearance at the Wall Street Journal's Tech Live conference, citing the need to concentrate on ensuring safety on the platform amid the ongoing crisis.

Musk himself has been vocal regarding the situation in the Middle East. He recently criticized a post by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei applauding the Hamas attack on Israel. Musk’s comments, made on X, noted that such statements only further ignite the cycle of violence and “stoke the fires of hatred.”

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