After an initial lukewarm response to the challenge that many European governments have denounced regarding the “interference” of Donald Trump’s magnate and advisor, Elon Musk, in European politics through his social network X (formerly Twitter), the European Commission has given a step forward by expanding the research that is open to the platform. Brussels has asked X for information and documentation on recent changes to the algorithms. What it wants to determine is whether the social network is promoting far-right content over others.
“The Commission has directed additional investigative measures to have done recently.” The deadline for X to submit the documentation, within the framework of the investigation procedure opened under the umbrella of the digital services law (DSA), is February 15.
Since December 2023, Brussels has been investigating possible violations of X regarding transparency, account verification, public scrutiny or access to researchers and the ad repository. In July, it formally accused the platform of failing to comply with European standards regarding the social network’s account verification system, as well as transparency in the advertising system and access to public data.
Reigner did not want to specify whether the decision was made as a result of the streaming video conference that Musk held with the leader of Alternative for Germany, Alice Weidel, last week, but he did acknowledge that the information will help “monitor the systems around to all these events.”
Before that event took place, in which Musk completed his whitewashing of the German ultras and in which he went so far as to assert that “Hitler was a communist,” the European Commission defended that it could not do anything about the opinions expressed. by the tycoon on his social network given that he protects freedom of expression. What the community government can analyze is the operation of the platform. And that is where he requires more information from Musk due to suspicions that he is promoting some content over others.
“These steps are completely independent of any political considerations or any specific events that have recently taken place. But they can, of course, help us control the systems surrounding all these events that are taking place,” Reigner responded.
“Today we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X’s recommendation systems with the obligations imposed by the DSA. “We are committed to ensuring that all platforms operating in the EU respect our legislation, which aims to make the online environment fair, safe and democratic for all European citizens,” the Vice President for Technological Sovereignty stated in a statement. Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen.
In addition, the European Commission is preparing for possible changes that during the period between January 17, 2025 and December 31, 2025.
It also requests access to some of X’s commercial APIs, technical interfaces to its content that allow direct investigation of content moderation and account virality. “These measures will allow the Commission services to take into account all relevant facts in the complex assessment, under the DSA, of systemic risks and their mitigation,” it says in a statement.
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