12-10-2023 (SAN FRANCISCO) The X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, has made a decisive move by removing hundreds of accounts affiliated with Hamas and taking steps to either remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content. This action was confirmed by X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, on Thursday, October 12, in response to a 24-hour ultimatum issued by EU industry chief Thierry Breton to Elon Musk. Breton’s ultimatum demanded that X address the dissemination of disinformation and illegal content since the Hamas assault on Israel to align with the new EU online content rules.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton expressed concerns about indications that X was being exploited for the dissemination of illegal content and disinformation within the European Union. The recently enacted Digital Services Act (DSA) places an obligation on major online platforms, including X and Meta’s Facebook, to eliminate illegal content and implement measures to counter risks to public security and civil discourse.
Yaccarino disclosed that X has reallocated resources and reoriented internal teams to address the swiftly changing situation, although she did not specify the nature of these changes. Following the attack, the Musk-owned company established a leadership group to assess the situation.
In a letter addressed to Breton and posted on X, Yaccarino expressed a willingness for further engagement and cooperation, including a meeting to address specific concerns and provide detailed responses to the issues raised.
The letter also stated that X had promptly responded to over 80 takedown requests from the EU within the required timeframe and had not received any notices from Europol regarding illegal content on the platform.
Breton issued a similar ultimatum to Meta, giving the company 24 hours to report the measures taken to combat disinformation on its platforms following the Hamas attack on Israel.
