EU Intensifies Scrutiny of Musk’s X for DSA Compliance

The European Commission has intensified its scrutiny of Elon Musk’s social network, X, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), focusing on potential violations that could lead to fines as high as 6% of the company’s global annual turnover. Recent actions include a formal request for information (RFI) aimed at understanding X’s content moderation strategies and its compliance with transparency obligations. This inquiry also explores the reduction in content moderation staff and linguistic coverage within the EU.

In addition to concerns about content moderation, the Commission is probing X’s use of generative AI and its implications on electoral integrity, the spread of illegal content, and the safeguarding of fundamental rights. This investigation reflects broader regulatory efforts to manage systemic risks posed by very large online platforms (VLOPs) like X, which are required under the DSA to conduct thorough risk assessments and implement effective mitigation strategies.

The latest developments include a series of RFIs issued to various VLOPs in March, focusing on the management of risks associated with generative AI technologies, such as political deepfakes. These inquiries are particularly timely given the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, highlighting the EU’s proactive stance on digital governance.

During recent interactions with the media, a senior Commission official described ongoing discussions with X as “quite intense,” particularly concerning the platform’s Community Notes feature. This feature, which crowdsources additional context for disputed posts, is a central part of X’s strategy for content moderation. However, the adequacy of this approach, especially in relation to election-related risks, remains under scrutiny.

Source: EU grills Elon Musk’s X about content moderation and deepfake risks | TechCrunch