"Elon Musk does not grasp EU fears about disinformation on X, official says" 4 June 2024

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, lacks understanding of European concerns over the hatred and division that can result from the spread of disinformation, a senior EU commissioner has said.

Speaking just days before the European parliamentary elections, in which disinformation, particularly Russian-backed propaganda, has been a key issue, Věra Jourová criticised what she said was a clear deterioration in content moderation on X since Musk bought the platform in 2022.

She also stressed the need for Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, to strengthen efforts to combat propaganda.

The commission was concerned about the “magnitude of disinformation” and the “magnitude of the reach” of platforms such as Facebook and X that reach billions worldwide, she added.

She said she agreed with Musk that freedom of speech was a priority. But, she added, he needed to understand that in Europe, that freedom comes with a cluster of laws banning hate speech and incitement to violence. Big tech companies, she added, had to be alert to the creation of “waves of hate and racism” that could lead to a “chain of violence”.

X and Meta have been approached for comment.