The European Union has initiated an investigation into social media company X, suspecting violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in what marks the first probe under this legislation.
“Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X under the Digital Services Act,” announced European Commissioner Thierry Breton on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“The Commission will now investigate X’s systems and policies related to certain suspected infringements,” clarified spokesperson Johannes Bahrke at a news briefing in Brussels. “It does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.”
The inquiry will delve into whether X failed to take sufficient measures to control the dissemination of illegal content. Additionally, it will scrutinize the effectiveness of measures aimed at combating “information manipulation,” particularly through its crowd-sourced Community Notes fact-checking feature.
The investigation will also assess concerns regarding user interface, the deceptive use of “verified” accounts, and the limited access granted to researchers.
“X remains committed to complying with the Digital Services Act and is cooperating with the regulatory process,” affirmed the company in a statement.
“It is important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law. X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal.”
Enacted in November of the previous year, the DSA mandates that online platforms and search engines with over 45 million active users proactively address illegal content and threats to public security. They are also required to safeguard their services against manipulative techniques.