Ireland’s media regulator recently announced that they have launched a probe into X following allegations pertaining to the social media platform’s violation of EU rules. The website has reportedly failed to allow users to appeal decisions made by Elon Musk‘s company with regard to content moderation. As per sources, the inaccessibility of X’s internal systems that handle complaints has further complicated the situation for users.
This has not been the first instance of Elon Musk’s X coming under the legal lens for their content moderation procedures. As per NBC News, the European Commission had initiated their investigation on the same grounds in 2023. The report further stated that Musk had faced several clashes against the EU over the platform’s functionalities, as well as its associations with political elections.
Media Regulator in Ireland begins probe into Elon Musk’s X
The media regulator of Ireland, named Coimisiún na Meán, announced on Wednesday that they are involved in an investigation of Elon Musk’s X. The probe is expected to evaluate whether the social media platform adheres to the rules and regulations of the European Union (EU) around providing easy access to users for appealing decisions concerning content moderation.
The investigation will specifically check if X has breached Article 20 of the Digital Services Act (DSA), an important set of regulations made by the EU. As per a Reuters‘ report, the probe rose from concerns held by Coimisiún na Meán, information from the non-governmental organization HateAid, as well as a user complaint.
According to the Business Post (behind paywall), any provider coming under the remit of the act must support its users to access an effective internal complaint handling system free of charge, which helps them to file an appeal against decisions made by the online platform.
In addition, the act states, “Providers of online platforms shall ensure that the decisions are taken under the supervision of appropriately qualified staff, and not solely on the basis of automated means.” It also highlights that the decisions made should be “timely, non-discriminatory, diligent and non-arbitrary manner.”
Related: Elon Musk Mocks Olympics’ “Obvious” Decision to Ban All Transgender Athletes From Female Events
What does this probe mean for Elon Musk and X?
As Ireland’s media regulator Coimisiún na Meán progresses with their investigation, Elon Musk’s X could face consequences that are legal in nature. John Evans, the Irish regulator’s digital services commissioner, opened up to Reuters about the possible directions the probe could take. Evans said, “If we suspect that any platform is failing in these obligations, we will not hesitate to intervene and where appropriate take enforcement action to protect the safety of users in Ireland, and across the European Union.”
This is one of the many encounters Elon Musk’s X has faced regarding EU rules violations. In April, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) had begun their inquiry into X Internet Unlimited Company (XIUC), the European data controller of Musk’s platform. As reported by The Register, “The investigation seeks to determine whether XIUC’s processing of publicly accessible posts from EU users to train its Grok AI models complies with the GDPR.“
If the investigation report shows that X has failed to adhere to the regulations stated under Article 20 of the (DSA), Musk’s company could be fined of up to six per cent of the revenues made by the social media platform. As per Euro News, the social media platform could even possibly sign an agreement with the Irish regulator to address any compliance issues.
