EU Writes Elon Musk on The Spread of Illegal Content on X Over Hama-Israeli War
- The European Union has warned Elon Musk over the spread of ‘illegal content’ on X
- The EU said the content regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate tension in the region
- The bloc gave Musk 24 hours to respond or face severe sanctions, which could affect his company’s revenue
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The European Union has issued a stern warning to Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, concerning what it termed illegal content and disinformation spreading on the platform regarding the Hamas-Israeli war.
The bloc gave the billionaire 24 hours to respond by complying with the EU regulations around illegal content or face sanction, which could amount to six per cent of the company’s annual revenue.
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Fake news spreading like wildfire on X
In a letter posted on X, EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton said there are signs that some groups are spreading misinformation and violent content on social media.
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The development comes after several researchers and news organizations reported a spike in misleading and false content on X, creating confusion about the current conflict in Gaza.
Cyabra, an Israeli analytical company, tracked bot accounts on X and discovered many fake accounts spreading pro-Hamas propaganda on X.
“Dear Mr Musk,
“Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU. Let me remind you that the Digital Services Act sets very precise obligations regarding content moderation, the letter says.
The letter urged Musk to maintain transparency on what content is allowed on the platform.
The EU asked Must to expedite the action and respond timely to its requests.
“I urge you to ensure a prompt, accurate, and complete response to this request within the next 24 hours. We will include your answer in our assessment file on your compliance with the I remind you that following the opening of a potential investigation and a finding of non-compliance, penalties can be imposed, Breton said in the letter.
X debunks the European Union's claims
Last month, the EU accused the Elon Musk-owned X of being used by pro-Russian forces to spread fake news and disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine, stating that the actors are more numerous on the platform than other social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook.
The social media firm debunked the EU’s claim and said that the bloc’s position does not reflect its data, stating that it has tackled misinformation on its platform through its community notes feature.
“No More N378k”: Elon Musk slashes price of Starlink for Nigerians by 21%, makes promises
Legit.ng reported that an Internet company led by Elon Musk, Starlink, has slashed the cost of its hardware for Nigerians to N299,500.
This represents a 21% reduction compared to the previous rate of N378,000.
The new price is expected to pave the way for Starlinks to access the Nigerian Internet Service Provider (ISP) market more.
Source: Legit.ng
