The European Union has warned Elon Musk, the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that he could face fines or other sanctions if he fails to remove disinformation and illegal content related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The EU’s Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton sent an urgent letter to Musk on Tuesday, reminding him of the “very precise obligations” under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates online platforms.
Breton said that X had been used to spread fake and manipulated images, such as repurposed photos from unrelated conflicts and footage from video games, as well as glorification of violence and terrorism.
He urged Musk to be “timely, diligent and objective” in taking action and removing the relevant content, adding that he expected a “prompt, accurate and complete response” within 24 hours.