X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing scrutiny from European Union officials due to its role in the dissemination of misinformation on its platform. The EU’s first report on how platforms handle misinformation, conducted as part of the Digital Services Act (DSA), revealed concerning findings about X’s involvement in the spread of false information.
The Digital Services Act and Voluntary Code of Practice
The Digital Services Act, a comprehensive law that recently came into effect, mandates major platforms to disclose information regarding their handling of misinformation. In addition to this, several companies have voluntarily adopted a “Code of Practice” on disinformation. However, X announced its withdrawal from this voluntary agreement in May, while committing to adhere to the stricter disinformation policies mandated by the DSA.
X’s Disturbing Findings in the EU Report
The EU report shed light on X’s significant involvement in the dissemination of misinformation on its platform, surpassing many of its larger counterparts in both the volume of disinformation and the engagement such posts receive. European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova stated, “X … is the platform with the largest ratio of mis/disinformation posts.”
Furthermore, the report indicated that X ranked highest in the discoverability of misinformation and disinformation, followed closely by Facebook and Instagram.
X’s Response and Commitment to DSA
As of now, X has not responded to requests for comment regarding the EU report. However, the company took to its Global Affairs Twitter account to dispute the report’s “framing” of the data. X asserted its commitment to complying with the Digital Services Act.
The findings of this report highlight growing concerns about misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms and signal the European Union’s dedication to addressing these issues through regulatory measures like the Digital Services Act.
