Since the attacks carried out by Hamas on Saturday, social networks have been flooded with violent images, but also with attempts at disinformation. On the front line: the X network, now in the sights of Brussels.
Humiliating videos of hostages, decapitated bodies, filmed assassinations… Since Saturday October 7 and the surprise attack launched by the Palestinian Islamist movement from Gaza, these images of horror are everywhere on social networks. Often crude, sometimes very violent and some false, this mass-distributed content, likely to advocate terrorism or fuel the spiral of violence between Jews and Arabs, is at the heart of a letter from the Digital Commissioner, Thierry Breton, to Elon Musk, the boss of X, formerly Twitter, which Franceinfo was able to consult, Tuesday October 10.
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“Following Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to spread illegal content and disinformation in the EU“, we can read in Thierry Breton’s letter. And to specify: “We have received, from qualified sources, reports of potentially illegal content circulating on your service, despite reports from the competent authorities, and this despite reports from the competent authorities.“, underlines the European Commissioner, who recalls the new law: when they are reported, this content must be removed very quickly from social networks.
The network could rely on an army of moderators, but after its acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk fired a very large number of them. The new conditions of use of the network no longer favor reliable content. The American billionaire thus encouraged in a post – subsequently deleted – his some 160 million followers to recently follow two accounts known for spreading false information.
“Thank you so much”
In his letter, the European Commissioner demands to be informed as quickly as possible of the measures that will be taken to eradicate these “violent and terrorist content which seems to be circulating on“The European Commission is even raising its voice, threatening the social network with sanctions, calling on its boss Elon Musk to report within 24 hours on the circulation of false information and violent images linked to the conflict in Israel. “I urge you to provide a prompt, accurate and complete response to this request within the next 24 hourshe demanded. I remind you that following the potential opening of an investigation and a finding of non-compliance, sanctions may be imposed.”
To which billionaire Elon Musk responded directly on X: “Our policy is for everything to be open and transparent, an approach that I know the EU supports. Please list the violations you are referring to on X, so the public can see them“, he added, before concluding with “Thank you so much“, in French.
“Very specific obligations”
Brussels was already concerned last month about the level of disinformation on the X network after a series of tests carried out on several platforms, after the implementation of the new European legislation on digital services (DSA) in force since the end of August for 19 major platforms.
Thierry Breton reminded the American boss “very specific obligations“responsible for content moderation, always within the framework of the DSA.”You must be very transparent and clear about the content permitted by your terms of service and enforce your own policies consistently and diligently.“, concluded the commissioner.