\n<\/p>\n
X (formerly Twitter) has been called out in the European Union for having the worst ratio of disinformation\/misinformation to posts not spreading falsehoods among mainstream social networks.<\/p>\n
In a speech<\/a> today discussing the latest updates from other platforms that have signed up to combat disinformation under a beefed up EU Code of Practice<\/a> that\u2019s been linked to compliance with the the bloc\u2019s legally binding Digital Services Act<\/a> (DSA), it commissioner for values and transparency, Vera Jourova, said X\u2019s poor performance was assessed during a pilot phase of testing of new methodology developed by Code signatories.<\/p>\n \u201cA big novelty under the Code is now the publication of the first set of structural indicators such as how easy it is to find disinformation content, how much engagement such content receives or indicators about sources. These indicators \u2014 developed by the signatories \u2014 constitute an unprecedented and novel insight into disinformation on online platforms,\u201d she suggested. \u201cSuch insight is crucial to understand how effective platforms efforts are to fight this threat even more efficiently. This is a very valuable industry proposal that has great potential while it has to be still further developed.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, signatories have decided to run a pilot phase in three Member States to evaluate the methodology on two of those indicators. X, former Twitter, who is not under the Code any more is the platform with the largest ratio of mis\/disinformation posts.\u201d<\/p>\n The Elon Musk-owned platform exited the EU\u2019s Code of Practice on Disinformation back in May, shortly after EU lawmakers warned that policy shifts executed after Musk\u2019s takeover were boosting Kremlin propaganda<\/a> and criticised the company for patchy reporting<\/a>. The EU\u2019s top diplomat also took a public shot at Twitter for ending free access to its APIs for researchers<\/a>, saying the action could threaten the study of disinformation.<\/p>\n Last year<\/a> the Commission also warned Musk over \u201chuge work\u201d ahead if the platform was to avoid falling foul of the incoming DSA.<\/p>\n Under Musk, X has pushed the use of an existing crowdsourced fact-checking feature (rebranded as Community Notes<\/a>) which essentially seeks to outsource the issue to a hands-length process of aggregating views from platform users, some of which may be appended as contextual notes to dubious tweets. At the same time the erratic billionaire has set about removing signals Twitter users were previously able to rely on to help assess the quality of information tweets contained, such as removing state-affiliated media labels from propaganda outlets and replacing legacy account verifications with pay-to-play.<\/p>\n X was contacted for a response to the EU\u2019s analysis of the ratio of disinformation it\u2019s spreading. It replied with an automated email reading: \u201cBusy now, please check back later.\u201d<\/p>\n Back in April<\/a>, X\/Twitter was named as one of 19 larger platforms that face the strictest level of regulation under the EU\u2019s DSA. The law puts an obligation on so-called very large online platforms (VLOPs) to assess societal risks attached to their use of algorithms \u2014 and put in place \u201creasonable, proportionate and effective mitigation measures\u201d for identified risks, with their reporting and mitigation plans subject to independent audit and oversight by the Commission.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve reached out to the Commission with questions about how it plans to respond to this latest analysis of X\u2019s role in spreading disinformation.<\/p>\n Penalties for breaches of the DSA can scale up to 6% of global annual turnover and the Commission has previously wanted that not following the Code of Practice on Disinformation would be factored into its assessments. So the price for X ignoring the EU\u2019s warnings on disinformation could be steep \u2014 albeit its ad revenue has cratered since Musk\u2019s takeover<\/a>, as a result of his failure to tackle toxicity and harmful disinformation encouraging an advertiser exodus \u2014 and shrinking earnings would effectively downsize any future penalties X could face under the DSA.<\/p>\n Subscription revenues to a revamped Twitter Blue paid offering (now called X Premium) don\u2019t appear to have been substantial enough to plug the ad gap \u2014 which may explain Musk\u2019s recent suggestion he plans to charge all users a small fee<\/a>. However ending free access to X could be the final nail in the coffin of the platform as a real-time information network if it triggers a further\/final exodus of remaining legacy users whose knowledge and engagement lent Twitter its original value<\/a>.<\/p>\n Disinformation and spammers may rush in to fill the gap, generating a parody of activity, but without a critical mass of genuine users to pay attention and contribute value and vitality \u2014 aka the life-blood of a bona fide<\/em> information network \u2014 X really will mark the spot of Twitter\u2019s demise.<\/p>\n