Elon Musk withdraws Twitter from EU agreement against disinformation
Some experts believe that even Elon Musk might think about shutting down Twitter in Europe.
Social network Twitter has completely withdrawn from the European Union’s code of practice against online disinformation.
The withdrawal could indicate that owner Elon Musk is preparing to cease operations in Europe altogether, Euractiv reported.
All because of a new law
The European Union is preparing for a new Digital Services Act (DSA) to come into force in August.
This mandate will establish requirements for monitoring and flagging disinformation and will make the hitherto voluntary code agreement mandatory for social networks.
For the same reason, block officials said they expected Musk to make the decision to withdraw from the code in the short term.
“Twitter leaves the EU Voluntary Code of Practice against Disinformation. But obligations remain,” tweeted European Commissioner Thierry Breton. “You can run, but you can’t hide. Beyond voluntary commitments, the fight against disinformation will be a legal obligation under #DSA from 25 August. Our teams will be ready for enforcement.”
Rules for Twitter
The DSA became a legislative priority for the European Commission after the 2021 Facebook leak, when whistleblower Frances Haugen revealed that Facebook and its parent company Meta prioritized profits over addressing rampant disinformation and racist hate speech on the platform.
This law will force platforms like Twitter to boost fact-checking and provide transparent warnings about political advertising. It will not require the site to remove content, but it does require offering users ways to report illegal content.
Politico reported that Breton had previously warned Musk that Twitter could be banned in the European Union if it does not comply with the rules. For Musk, according to reports, this bloc is “a secondary market,” so his exit could be contemplated.