In a surprising revelation, X CTO and chairman Elon Musk accused the European Commission (EC) of proposing an “illegal secret deal” to censor speech on the social media platform in order to avoid facing fines within the EU. Musk took to social media on July 12 to voice his concerns after the EC published its initial findings from an extensive investigation conducted under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The report claimed that the platform was not in compliance with the DSA, particularly in terms of transparency. Musk alleged that the EC had offered to drop any fines if X agreed to “quietly censor speech without informing anyone.” He highlighted that while other platforms had accepted the deal, X had refused.
The European Commission’s investigation uncovered several areas where X had breached the DSA, including dark patterns, advertising transparency, and data access for researchers. The report criticized the platform’s “Blue checkmarks” and verified accounts, stating that they misled users as they could be obtained by anyone. It also pointed out that these features were often exploited by malicious actors. Furthermore, the report highlighted that X lacked a searchable and reliable advertising repository, making it difficult for supervision and research on potential risks. The platform’s restrictions on data access for eligible researchers, such as banning scraping and implementing a complex API access process with high fees, were also scrutinized.
The preliminary findings of the investigation indicated that X could face significant fines of up to 6% of its worldwide annual turnover for failing to comply with the DSA. Moreover, the platform would need to rectify the identified issues to continue its operations in the EU. The decision might also entail a period of enhanced supervision and periodic penalty payments. The EC has invited X to provide a written response to defend its case, and further consultations with the European Board for Digital Services are expected. The final ruling on the matter is pending, and the outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the social media platform.
Elon Musk’s allegations against the European Commission have sparked a contentious debate surrounding freedom of speech, censorship, and regulatory compliance on digital platforms. The findings of the investigation shed light on various shortcomings of X in transparency and data access, raising concerns about user trust and accountability. As the case unfolds, the tech industry and regulatory authorities will be closely monitoring the developments and their implications for the wider digital ecosystem.
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