Major newspapers exiting the social network X for spreading disinformation is a symptom of democracies failing to regulate online platforms, a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) official said on Friday.
The British newspaper The Guardian and the Spanish daily La Vanguardia announced they would no longer publish content on X, which is owned by American billionaire Elon Musk. They described the platform as a "toxic media platform" promoting "disinformation".
"This is a symptom of a much deeper issue – the inability of public authorities to make platforms viable and respectful of journalistic information, where information can circulate freely," said Vincent Berthier, head of the technology department at RSF.
Musk is a fervent supporter of elected US President Donald Trump, whom he appointed to lead a new commission to cut public spending, is frequently accused of fostering disinformation on X, where he positions himself as an adversary of the media.
"Musk represents the radical face of this informational nightmare on platforms, but the problem is much more global," Berthier emphasised.
He cited Canada as an example, where Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, has blocked access to news content on its platforms since August 2023 in response to an online information law. This blocking occurs "with almost general indifference," according to the RSF official.
According to Berthier, "there have been attempts at regulation," starting with the Digital Services Act (DSA) in Europe, but "it has to be acknowledged that it hasn’t had much effect."
