European Union Opens Investigation Into X's Content Over Hamas' Attack On Israel

The European Commission has filed a binding request for information to determine if the micro-blogging platform complies with the rules on illegal and harmful content.

The European Union has launched an investigation into Elon Musk-owned X's role over the spread of disinformation and violent content over Hamas' attack on Israel, the media has reported. Social media platforms X, formerly Twitter, TikTok and Mark Zuckerberg's Meta have witnesses a rise in false content about the Israel and Hamas conflict, with disinformation appearing to be most prevalent on X, news agency Reuters reported, citing social media researchers. 

EU's independent executive arm, the European Commission has filed a binding request for information to determine if the micro-blogging platform complies with the rules on illegal and harmful content. EU industry chief Thierry Breton opened a probe into X, the Reuters report added. This increases pressure on big social networking firms to remove harmful content from their platforms, in order to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

The DSA, which entered into force in November last year, forces very large online platforms and search engines to do more to curb illegal content and risks to public security, and protect their services against manipulative techniques.

The European Commission said in a statement that it launched the investigation in response to “indications received concerning the presumed transmission of illicit content”, according to Al Jazeera.

This comes a day after Linda Yaccario, CEO of X, said that the platform has removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts, in the wake of the attack on Israel, in a bid to check the spread of "terrorist content" online. The X CEO also added that the company has taken action to remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content since the attack.

The micro-blogging platform, over the weekend, has updated its Public Interest Policy.

Meanwhile, Yaccario also wrote in a letter to EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, posted on X: "We continue to respond promptly to law enforcement requests from around the world, including EU member states."

The EU Commissioner had told Musk to send back a “prompt, accurate, and complete response” to his request in the next 24 hours.