EU investigates disinformation on X after Slovakia PM shooting

The EU enforcers responsible for overseeing the Digital Services Act (DSA) are intensifying their scrutiny of disinformation campaigns on X, formerly known as Twitter and owned by Elon Musk, in the aftermath of the recent shooting of Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico. X has been under formal investigation since December for disseminating disinformation and the efficacy of its content moderation tools, particularly its ‘Community Notes’ feature. Despite ongoing investigations, no penalties have been imposed thus far.

Elon Musk’s personal involvement in amplifying a post by right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong linking the shooting to Robert Fico’s purported rejection of the World Health Organization’s pandemic prevention plan has drawn further attention to X’s role in spreading potentially harmful narratives. In response to inquiries during a press briefing, EU officials confirmed they are closely monitoring content on the platform to assess the effectiveness of X’s measures in combating disinformation.

In addition to disinformation concerns, X’s introduction of its generative AI chatbot, Grok, in the EU has raised regulatory eyebrows. Grok, known for its politically incorrect responses, has been delayed in certain aspects until after the upcoming European Parliament elections due to perceived risks to civic discourse and election integrity. The EU is in close communication with X regarding the rollout of Grok, indicating the regulatory scrutiny surrounding emerging AI technologies and their potential impact on online discourse and democratic processes.