The unprecedented investigation will examine whether Twitter handles Israeli and Palestinian-related content as it has promised.
Twitter, long criticized for the proliferation of false information and illegal content, now faces its first formal EU government investigation over its handling of posts related to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Prior to this, Twitter responded to the EU's new Digital Services Act (DSA) by submitting its content review report prepared in September, its transparency report in November, and formally responding to information requests about illegal content. According to Reuters, this period saw Hamas attacks on Israel. Notably, Twitter is the only major social platform to have been sanctioned as a result of the act so far.
Companies that violate the DSA could face penalties of up to 6% of global turnover. For context, Twitter's 2022 revenue range is $4.4 to $5.22 billion according to different reports.
The European Commission’s action is just the latest chapter in a bitter dispute between Twitter and its owner, Elon Musk.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton revealed the focus of the investigation in a terse statement.
"Today we are launching formal infringement proceedings," he wrote on the relevant social media platform. The charges include alleged violations of the obligation to combat illegal content and false information, alleged violations of transparency obligations, and alleged deceptive design of the user interface.
Musk has been outspoken about the platform's moderation strategy, challenging the EU's accusations.
"Are you taking action on other social media? If you have these problems on this platform and none of them are perfect solutions, then the others are worse," he said in response to Breton's post.
Twitter has undergone a major transformation in how it operates and functions as a business since Musk took over. These changes include a shift in overall political bias and the reinstatement of banned accounts (and thus millions of dollars in lost ad revenue). However, he said that he was particularly concerned about false information and the balance between public discussion and responsible content moderation, which has sparked debate about the platform's new direction, and that these changes are less alarming.
At the heart of the investigation is the “community flagging” feature. Launched earlier this year, it enables users to flag misleading content, essentially crowdsourcing fact-checking, which could be challenged as an ineffective way to fact-check content shared on Twitter and not enough of a commitment to responsible information.
Twitter said in an official post, "To help enable free expression and conversation, we will only intervene when content violates our rules. Otherwise, we rely on providing you with additional context."
The company added that misleading information "is identified through a combination of human review and technology, and through collaboration with third-party experts around the world."
New CEO Linda Yaccarino addressed those concerns in a letter shortly after the Oct. 7 attack, saying the platform removed thousands of tweets and continues to “respond promptly to law enforcement requests from around the world, including from EU member states.”
Yaccarino also pointed out the major role that Community Notes plays in combating misinformation.
However, the feature has proven to be a double-edged sword. Community flagging has previously led to the removal of posts from high-profile political accounts, including the Israeli government and the White House, after false claims were exposed.
The EU’s tough regulatory stance on electronic media is spreading to a wide range of areas of electronic interaction, from privacy and social media to artificial intelligence and fair use.
The EU’s focus on media integrity is further underlined by the European Commission’s recent media policy agreement, the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). Announced earlier this month, the EMFA aims to protect editorial independence, ensure media pluralism and increase transparency across the EU.
EMFA complements the goals of the DSA by taking steps to protect journalists, ensure transparency in media ownership, and set standards for public service media.
Twitter is a platform that prides itself on open speech, and you can find yourself at the center of debates about the principles it promotes, as befits the digital age. As the EU looks more deeply into its practices, the results may serve as a cautionary tale about the complexities of managing free speech in an age when every word we write can reach every corner of the globe. #Twitter #虚假信息
