European Digital Commissioner Thierry Breton on Tuesday issued a warning to Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter) with regard to moderation responsibilities on the social network platform to prevent an “escalation of dangerous content.”
In a letter to Musk, Breton emphasised digital media's obligations under the new European legislation for digital services (DSA), underlining that this moderation duty applies to all X users, including Musk.
Musk, known for his provocative messages against American Democrats and his substantial following of 193 million subscribers, is due to interview the Republican presidential candidate that he fervently supports on live television via X. Breton reminded Musk that this exchange, scheduled for 02.00 Belgian time, is also accessible to X users within the European Union.
Breton said he and his team would be extremely vigilant regarding any possible DSA violations. He also stressed his readiness to employ all available tools, including temporary measures if necessary, to protect European citizens.
The Digital Services Act requires all online platforms to establish a reporting system for problematic content and to act “promptly” to remove any illicit content or make it inaccessible as soon as they become aware of it.
In December, Brussels initiated a formal investigation against X, suspected of failing to meet its obligations to combat disinformation. The European Commission highlighted its low number of content moderators and inefficient systems to report illegal content.
X responded that it remained committed to complying with the regulations.
