A Senior EU Official Criticized X as a Major Source of Disinformation and Fake News

A senior European Union (EU) official has identified X, formerly known as Twitter, as the largest source of fake news and called upon its owner, Elon Musk, to adhere to the EU's regulations aimed at combating disinformation. As the EU faces upcoming elections, tech giants including Google, TikTok, Microsoft, and Meta are urged to take more substantial measures to combat disinformation, with much of it originating from Russia.

European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova emphasized that Moscow's disinformation efforts constitute a substantial "weapon of mass manipulation," targeting both Russia and the rest of the world. With elections approaching in countries like Slovakia and Poland, and a broader EU-wide vote scheduled for the next year, Jourova stressed the critical need for prominent online platforms to address the risk of online interference.

Jourova highlighted the Kremlin's intention to utilize platform design features for manipulation and disinformation dissemination. She was updating the EU's 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, which Google, TikTok, Microsoft, and Meta voluntarily joined last year. However, Twitter withdrew from the code after Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform.

According to Jourova, X is "the platform with the largest ratio of mis- or disinformation posts." She underlined that Musk's company remains accountable despite leaving the voluntary code, as the code's principles have been incorporated into the EU's Digital Services Act. This legislation subjects major online platforms, including X, to rigorous scrutiny and mandatory regulations.

Under the code, online platforms commit to measures aimed at reducing disinformation and are required to submit regular reports on their progress. The first six-month reports outlining their compliance with these measures were recently published.