How X’s handling of UK riots could influence ongoing EU probe into the platform
By Eliza Gkritsi | Euractiv.com with Reuters
Aug 8, 2024
US tech entrepreneur Elon Musk (C) leaves after attending the 10th World Water Forum in Nusadua, Bali, Indonesia, 20 May 2024. [EPA-EFE/MADE NAGI]
Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>>
An ongoing European Commission investigation into social media platform X could be influenced by the platform’s handling of content related to riots in the UK, a spokesperson said on Friday (9 August).
Last month, European Union officials issued charges against X, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires very large online platforms like X to do more to tackle illegal content and risks to public security. The charges revolve around advertising transparency and the platform’s blue checkmarks. Musk said he would sue the Commission over its accusations.
Two parts of the DSA investigation, launched in December 2023, into X are outstanding: illegal content and disinformation.
X’s involvement in the UK riots cannot be directly taken into account in the DSA investigation, but can inform the Commission’s probe in a broad sense, the spokesperson told Euractiv. The Commission is “closely following” the situation in the UK, as well as X’s response, because “it can say a lot” about their response to such incidents, the spokesperson said.
Should there be “spillovers” in the EU, such as content glorifying the riots or calling for similar protests, this could be part of the DSA ongoing investigation, said the spokesperson. This is the case with the October 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, after which there were posts glorifying them in Europe, according to the spokesperson.
Elon Musk to sue the EU Commission after accusations of X breaching digital rulebook
The European Commission accused social media platform X of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA) over its verified accounts policy and lapses in transparency, in preliminary findings released on Friday (12 July)
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While Britain has not been a member of the EU since 2020, harmful content in breach of DSA rules shared in Britain may have been seen by users in Europe, constituting a potential breach of the law.
Britain has been hit by a series of riots that erupted after three young girls were killed in a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, triggering a wave of false messaging online that wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, has also weighed in. Responding to a post on X that blamed mass migration and open borders for the disorder in Britain, he wrote: “Civil war is inevitable.”
By Eliza Gkritsi | Euractiv.com with Reuters
Aug 8, 2024
US tech entrepreneur Elon Musk (C) leaves after attending the 10th World Water Forum in Nusadua, Bali, Indonesia, 20 May 2024. [EPA-EFE/MADE NAGI]
Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>>
An ongoing European Commission investigation into social media platform X could be influenced by the platform’s handling of content related to riots in the UK, a spokesperson said on Friday (9 August).
Last month, European Union officials issued charges against X, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires very large online platforms like X to do more to tackle illegal content and risks to public security. The charges revolve around advertising transparency and the platform’s blue checkmarks. Musk said he would sue the Commission over its accusations.
Two parts of the DSA investigation, launched in December 2023, into X are outstanding: illegal content and disinformation.
X’s involvement in the UK riots cannot be directly taken into account in the DSA investigation, but can inform the Commission’s probe in a broad sense, the spokesperson told Euractiv. The Commission is “closely following” the situation in the UK, as well as X’s response, because “it can say a lot” about their response to such incidents, the spokesperson said.
Should there be “spillovers” in the EU, such as content glorifying the riots or calling for similar protests, this could be part of the DSA ongoing investigation, said the spokesperson. This is the case with the October 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, after which there were posts glorifying them in Europe, according to the spokesperson.
Elon Musk to sue the EU Commission after accusations of X breaching digital rulebook
The European Commission accused social media platform X of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA) over its verified accounts policy and lapses in transparency, in preliminary findings released on Friday (12 July)
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While Britain has not been a member of the EU since 2020, harmful content in breach of DSA rules shared in Britain may have been seen by users in Europe, constituting a potential breach of the law.
Britain has been hit by a series of riots that erupted after three young girls were killed in a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, triggering a wave of false messaging online that wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, has also weighed in. Responding to a post on X that blamed mass migration and open borders for the disorder in Britain, he wrote: “Civil war is inevitable.”
[Edited by Georgi Gotev]
Social media site X is ‘only a place of misery’, Government minister says
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, spoke out after a spat between the PM and X boss Elon Musk.
Katrine Bussey
Downing Street had already criticised Mr Musk for tweeting that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK, with Sir Keir’s official spokesman insisting there was “no justification for comments like that”.
Ms Phillips said although she had previously been “massively addicted to Twitter”, referencing the former name of X, she had removed the app from her phone after Mr Musk took over the company.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the government minister said of the social media platform: “Fundamentally for me now I think that I am sort of done with it, I don’t wish to fish in that particular pond any more.”
She told the audience: “I used to be massively addicted to Twitter, I have got a very addictive personality, I was massively addicted to it.”
But she added: “The only power we now have over what is becoming a bit despotic is that we opt out of it, you vote with your feet in this instance rather than pen and paper.”
Asked by host Matthew Stadlen if she would encourage people to quit the site, she said that would be “too dramatic”.
But Ms Phillips said: “Personally for me, I don’t think it is a space where there is any fun to be had any more.
“I don’t think that it is a place of light, I think it is only a place of misery now.”
She added that she did not want to “strop off” and leave the site, but said: “I’m just not going to use it very much.”
Speaking about Mr Musk she told the audience: “As soon as he took it over I took the app off my phone, so I have to log in to Twitter.
“So already there is a barrier.”
The comments follow Ms Phillips sharing her concerns about the impact of social media companies more generally.
The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley said while Mr Musk had “every right” to express his views on British politics as a private citizen, “as a commercial citizen, who literally can control the way we see different things, you are getting into a more dangerous area”.
She added: “I have for a long time felt quite anxious that there are a number of big companies in the world, most of them tech-based, whether it’s Twitter, Meta, Amazon as well, where all the films we watch on TV are from these companies.
“Like literally what we decide we are going to watch comes from them. When I am lying in bed, the next book I am going to read is designed by one of these men.
“What has worried me is the idea of how much power and money these big companies have without any democratic institution to hold them to account. I have thought for a long time their power would massively outstrip that of democratic governments around the world.
“And I suppose we are now at the point of seeing whether it actually hits the road and that actually is coming to pass.”
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, spoke out after a spat between the PM and X boss Elon Musk.
Katrine Bussey
Aug 10, 2024
A UK government minister told how she scaled back her use of the social media platform X, claiming it had become “a bit despotic” and was “a place of misery now”.
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, spoke out in the wake of a spat between UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the platform’s boss, Elon Musk.
The social media tycoon called the PM “two-tier Keir”, as he posted a series of images, videos and memes related to recent rioting in the UK, with Mr Musk suggesting that not all communities are “protected in Britain”.
A UK government minister told how she scaled back her use of the social media platform X, claiming it had become “a bit despotic” and was “a place of misery now”.
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, spoke out in the wake of a spat between UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the platform’s boss, Elon Musk.
The social media tycoon called the PM “two-tier Keir”, as he posted a series of images, videos and memes related to recent rioting in the UK, with Mr Musk suggesting that not all communities are “protected in Britain”.
Downing Street had already criticised Mr Musk for tweeting that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK, with Sir Keir’s official spokesman insisting there was “no justification for comments like that”.
Ms Phillips said although she had previously been “massively addicted to Twitter”, referencing the former name of X, she had removed the app from her phone after Mr Musk took over the company.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the government minister said of the social media platform: “Fundamentally for me now I think that I am sort of done with it, I don’t wish to fish in that particular pond any more.”
She told the audience: “I used to be massively addicted to Twitter, I have got a very addictive personality, I was massively addicted to it.”
But she added: “The only power we now have over what is becoming a bit despotic is that we opt out of it, you vote with your feet in this instance rather than pen and paper.”
I don’t think that it is a place of light, I think it is only a place of misery nowJess Phillips MP
Asked by host Matthew Stadlen if she would encourage people to quit the site, she said that would be “too dramatic”.
But Ms Phillips said: “Personally for me, I don’t think it is a space where there is any fun to be had any more.
“I don’t think that it is a place of light, I think it is only a place of misery now.”
She added that she did not want to “strop off” and leave the site, but said: “I’m just not going to use it very much.”
Speaking about Mr Musk she told the audience: “As soon as he took it over I took the app off my phone, so I have to log in to Twitter.
“So already there is a barrier.”
The comments follow Ms Phillips sharing her concerns about the impact of social media companies more generally.
The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley said while Mr Musk had “every right” to express his views on British politics as a private citizen, “as a commercial citizen, who literally can control the way we see different things, you are getting into a more dangerous area”.
She added: “I have for a long time felt quite anxious that there are a number of big companies in the world, most of them tech-based, whether it’s Twitter, Meta, Amazon as well, where all the films we watch on TV are from these companies.
“Like literally what we decide we are going to watch comes from them. When I am lying in bed, the next book I am going to read is designed by one of these men.
“What has worried me is the idea of how much power and money these big companies have without any democratic institution to hold them to account. I have thought for a long time their power would massively outstrip that of democratic governments around the world.
“And I suppose we are now at the point of seeing whether it actually hits the road and that actually is coming to pass.”
New polling by Find Out Now reveals that Elon Musk is making moire than half of Twitter/X users in the X consider quitting the social network because of his recent behaviour
Elon Musk is making people wanting to leave his social network, polling reveals (
Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)News
By Dave Burke
Political Correspondent
MIRROR
11 Aug 2024
Almost half of Twitter/X users are considering quitting the social network because of Elon Musk.
New polling shows the billionaire tycoon's behaviour, which saw him claim the UK is heading for civil war, is also putting motorists off buying a Tesla - another firm he owns. It found that 46% are weighing up leaving X because of Mr Musk, while 56% disagree with his civil war remark, which he made as far-right riots broke out.
Mr Musk has been criticised by No10 for his incendiary posts as thugs ran riot in Britain's towns and cities.He came under fire after branding Mr Starmer “two-tier Keir” - echoing conspiracy theorists who whined that far-right thugs were treated more harshly than other groups.
No10 said there's "no justification" for such remarks. Following the survey of over 3,000 voters, Jon McLeod, Partner at crisis PR experts DRD Partnership, said: "This poll suggests there's a 'Musk-lash' brewing in the British public. Taking on a Prime Minister, who has just won a huge majority isn't smart PR - it just looks weird."
He went on: "Tesla and Twitter /X need to work to win back the hearts and minds of the British public." A survey by Find Out Now revealed that most adults aged 25 to 34 - 57% - are considering closing their X account as a result of Mr Musk.
It found that 24% agree with him that the UK is heading toward civil war, while 56% disagree. In a separate survey of 2,027 adults in the UK, it emerged nearly 53% have been put off buying a Tesla car because of him. And of 104 Tesla owners, 28% said they now regret their purchase because of the way Mr Musk has behaved.
It comes as a Government minister says she's deleted X from her phone as it's become "a place of misery". Jess Phillips said she was "massively addicted" to the social media site, but warned that under Mr Musk it's become "a bit despotic".
She said: "Personally for me, I don't think it is a space where there is any fun to be had any more. I don't think that it is a place of light, I think it is only a place of misery now."
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