Social media platform X takes action against Hamas-affiliated accounts amid EU scrutiny News
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Social media platform X takes action against Hamas-affiliated accounts amid EU scrutiny

Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) announced measures on Thursday to combat the spread of illegal content and disinformation on its platform, including the removal of hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts. X’s actions follow recent criticism from Europe’s top tech regulator, Thierry Breton, the Internal Market Commissioner of the European Commission.

The company’s response came in the form of an open letter addressed to the European Commission, specifically directed to Commissioner Thierry Breton, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and the platform’s responsibility in providing accurate, real-time information to its users.

X told Breton that it has removed and labeled posts, images, and articles about the conflict that have been flagged as potentially containing disinformation or violating the platform’s content policies. Moreover, the platform emphasized its commitment to working closely with law enforcement agencies to address issues related to illegal content. It highlighted its responsiveness to requests from authorities, particularly from the European Union, to promptly remove problematic content.

Thierry Breton had earlier raised concerns about X’s role in enabling the spread of illegal content and disinformation within the European Union. In an open letter posted on the platform, Breton pointed to the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel. He emphasized that the Digital Services Act (DSA) imposes specific obligations regarding content moderation on platforms and called on X to implement effective mitigation measures.

The DSA, which was passed in 2022, serves as a regulatory framework aimed at safeguarding human rights and limiting the spread of illegal content online. It establishes a comprehensive set of obligations for digital services to protect users, ensure fundamental rights online, and promote transparency and accountability across online platforms within the European Union.

However, Breton’s actions have raised concerns about political overreach. Critics argue that giving enforcement powers to a political commission might be used to force platforms to take actions they are not obligated to perform. Jan Penfrat, a senior policy adviser at the Brussels-based digital rights group EDRi, expressed these concerns, suggesting that such actions could undermine the principles of freedom of expression and digital rights.

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