In a recent letter addressed to President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission, a group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) expressed serious concerns regarding alleged abuses by Elon Musk, the owner of X. The MEPs have urged the European executive to enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) in light of these claims.
This letter, revealed by Euronews, was dispatched on Thursday and calls for urgent action from the European Commission to evaluate Musk’s alleged smear campaigns in relation to the DSA. This request comes after the Commission’s findings last July that X is non-compliant with DSA regulations.
The correspondence specifically reached President von der Leyen, EU Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty and Democracy Henna Virkkunen, and EU Commissioner for Democracy and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath.
According to the letter, “Elon Musk is not just a foreign billionaire; he is anticipated to be part of a future Trump Administration, targeting the United States’ most significant allies without hesitation.” It further criticizes Musk for leveraging his platform to amplify his personal views through inflated visibility and the dissemination of misleading information.
Initiated by French MEP Nathalie Loiseau from the Renew group, the letter garnered signatures from 38 lawmakers across various parties, including the European People’s Party, the Socialists & Democrats, and the Greens.
The MEPs emphasized their concerns regarding Musk’s influence on domestic political discussions within member states. They specifically referenced incidents involving Musk’s interference in the German election campaign and previous events in Ireland, although detailed explanations were not provided.
Musk has shown public support for Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AFD) party ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections and hosted a discussion on X with AFD leader Alice Weidel. Just a day prior, he controversially stated, “Irish citizens receive longer sentences than illegal immigrants. That’s unfair.”
In July, the Commission informed X about preliminary findings that indicated potential violations of the DSA. These include the use of blue checks as “dark patterns,” misleading users, and failing to adhere to transparency protocols.
Ongoing investigations are examining whether X has sufficiently curtailed the spread of illegal content, including hate speech and incitement to terrorism, as well as assessing the efficacy of its measures against information manipulation.
With expectations for the investigation running high, a spokesperson for the Commission assured that they aim to build a strong legal case before concluding the investigation, especially against potential legal challenges by the social media giant.
Additionally, the Commission has requested further information to support its ongoing evaluation of X’s recommendation system. They are looking into recent algorithm adjustments, the visibility of specific accounts, and content moderation practices, with a retention order for any changes made between January 17, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
The Commission maintains that this move is free from political motivations and is intended to enhance monitoring of events related to X and its operations.
When approached by Euronews for comments on the letter, the Commission confirmed that proceedings against X remain active, with continuous oversight of the platform.
X has yet to respond to our inquiries.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Euronews
