The social network X still does not comply with the European regulation governing digital services and the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, reminded its owner, Elon Musk, of this on Monday. The day was not chosen at random. “I am writing to you in the context of recent events in the United Kingdom [los disturbios alentados por la desinformación en las redes a raíz de un apuñalamiento múltiple de menores a finales de julio en Southport, en el noroeste de Inglaterra] and in connection with the planned broadcast on your X platform of a live conversation between an American presidential candidate and yourself, which will also be accessible to EU users,” Breton begins after the obligatory headings in the letter he sends to Musk. The second reference is very clear: the interview that Musk plans to hold on Monday afternoon (early Tuesday morning in Europe) with candidate Donald Trump, whom he openly supports for the November elections.
“I understand that they are currently carrying out a stress test of the platform,” says the French commissioner in the next sentence. This statement is not innocent. On July 12, the European Commission opened an investigation X for failing to comply with the obligations imposed by the Digital Services Regulation (DSA) due to the policy it follows regarding verified accounts, since “there is evidence of abuse to deceive users”, for not complying with the requirements of transparency in advertising and for not facilitating access to the data of researchers.
With great audience comes greater responsibility #DSA
As there is a risk of amplification of potentially harmful content in 🇪🇺 in connection with events with major audience around the world, I sent this letter to @elonmusk
📧⤵️ pic.twitter.com/P1IgxdPLzn
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) August 12, 2024
“In this context, I feel obliged to remind you of the obligations set out in the DSA, as I explained in my previous letter,” continues Breton, who has a long history of public encounters and disagreements with the owner of Tesla and X. The social network, having a size that exceeds the thresholds set by European regulation, is obliged to comply with more requirements than other digital platforms, something that also occurs with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and even with websites with pornographic content.
The aim of this rule, as Breton explains, is “to ensure, on the one hand, the effective protection of freedom of expression and information, including media freedom and pluralism, and, on the other, the application of all proportionate and effective mitigation measures in relation to the amplification of harmful content in relation to relevant events.” This includes “the live broadcasting” of broadcasts that otherwise “could increase the risk profile of X and generate detrimental effects on civic discourse and public safety.” “This is important in the context of recent examples of public unrest caused by the amplification of content promoting hatred, disorder, incitement to violence or certain cases of disinformation.”
What’s significant about these words is that they come just hours before Musk has a conversation with Trump that will be broadcast on X. The businessman is a prominent donor to the campaign of the Republican who is trying to return to the White House and, in addition, has harshly attacked the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris. Musk, of South African origin, has even spread false content about Harris through his account on X, in which artificial intelligence is used to simulate that the American politician says things that she has not said.
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