- X CEO Linda Yaccarino said it identified and removed “hundreds” of Hamas-affiliated accounts on the X platform and “took action to remove or label tens of thousands of content” following Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel.
- Numerous examples of such content have been compiled, including videos and images shared out of context, some of which have been viewed millions of times.
- Musk himself has been outspoken in his responses to Breton, pushing for the commissioner to publicly list specific violations on the platform. “We carry out our actions openly,” Musk said. he wrote.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino said it identified and removed “hundreds” of Hamas-affiliated accounts on the X platform and “took action to remove or label tens of thousands of content” following Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel. In his letter, Yaccarino said; It responded to EU commissioner Thierry Breton’s concerns that X was being used to “spread illegal content and disinformation” in violation of the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA).
The movement between X and the European Union emerged as the EU implemented the Digital Services Act, which obliges major online platforms to remove illegal content and reduce risks to public security. In addition to X, Breton also wrote a letter to Meta, reminding it of its obligations under the DSA.
There are widespread reports of misinformation and disinformation being spread on X regarding the Israel-Hamas war. The Guardian has compiled numerous examples of such content, including video and images shared out of context, some of which have been viewed millions of times. Additionally, researchers claim to have discovered a propaganda network consisting of 67 accounts posting false and inflammatory content about the war.
The is under intense scrutiny.
Yaccarino said that shortly after news of the Hamas attack broke, The CEO stated that the platform responded “within the required time” to more than 80 takedown requests received in the EU. However, he noted that they had not received any notification from Europol about illegal content on the service.
Yaccarino’s letter also highlights how X uses Community Notes to combat misinformation on its platform. It is noted that more than 700 unique notes about attacks are displayed on the platform. But a report published by NBC News revealed how the volunteer-based system is strained, with some community notes taking hours — even days — to be approved and other posts not being tagged at all.
On the other hand, while Elon Musk’s letter struck a diplomatic tone, Musk himself was more forthright in his responses to Breton, pushing for the commissioner to publicly list specific violations on the platform. “We carry out our actions openly,” Musk said. he wrote.
Now we are waiting for the EU’s response. Thierry Breton had previously warned X that non-compliance with the DSA could result in an investigation and possible fines.
Compiled by: Alp Eren Gümüş