Twitter Withdraws from EU's Disinformation Code of Practice as Digital Services Act Looms
Twitter has decided to pull out of the European Union's voluntary code of practice on online disinformation. This move comes as the EU prepares to implement the Digital Services Act (DSA), a new law aimed at regulating online content and combating disinformation. The withdrawal of Twitter from the voluntary agreement has raised speculations about owner Elon Musk's intentions regarding the platform's operations in Europe. With the DSA making the code of practice mandatory for large social media sites, the decision by Twitter could have significant implications for its future in the EU.
The decision of Twitter to withdraw from the EU’s voluntary code of practice regarding disinformation is interpreted by certain individuals as a signal that Musk might be getting ready to completely halt operations in Europe. The upcoming DSA, scheduled to be implemented in August, will impose obligations on major digital platforms to proactively monitor and identify disinformation, deactivate accounts involved in such activities, issue clear notifications about political advertising, and support fact-checking efforts. Although the DSA does not require the removal of content, it does impose substantial responsibilities on social media platforms like Twitter.
European Commissioner Thierry Breton responded to Twitter's withdrawal by highlighting that despite the voluntary nature of the code of practice, obligations to combat disinformation would remain. Commissioner Breton tweeted that fighting disinformation would become a legal obligation under the DSA, effective from August 25. The DSA expands on the existing voluntary agreement and imposes stricter requirements on large digital platforms. Companies failing to comply with the DSA's rules could face fines of up to 6% of their annual revenue, as levied by the European Commission.
Musk has refrained from providing a response regarding the platform's departure from the EU code of practice. Politico previously reported that Commissioner Breton had cautioned Musk about the potential repercussions if Twitter fails to comply with the regulations established by the DSA. Breton had even mentioned the possibility of the platform being banned from the EU. Despite withdrawing from the disinformation agreement, Musk has persisted in sharing content that pushes the limits of what could be considered in violation of the DSA and the EU's hate speech policy.
Alan Herrera is the Editorial Supervisor for the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents (AFPC-USA), where he oversees the organization’s media platform, foreignpress.org. He previously served as AFPC-USA’s General Secretary from 2019 to 2021 and as its Treasurer until early 2022.
Alan is an editor and reporter who has worked on interviews with such individuals as former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the former President of the United Nations General Assembly; and Mariangela Zappia, the former Permanent Representative to Italy for the U.N. and current Italian Ambassador to the United States.
Alan has spent his career managing teams as well as commissioning, writing, and editing pieces on subjects like sustainable trade, financial markets, climate change, artificial intelligence, threats to the global information environment, and domestic and international politics. Alan began his career writing film criticism for fun and later worked as the Editor on the content team for Star Trek actor and activist George Takei, where he oversaw the writing team and championed progressive policy initatives, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ rights advocacy.