Days after Musk live-streamed chat with AfD leader, EU steps up scrutiny of X

EU tech authorities are expanding their inquiry into Elon Musk’s X following his frequent assaults on European nations, just days before Donald Trump takes office as US president.

The European Commission stated on Friday that it will add extra stages to a probe that began in December 2023. That investigation became politically charged as Musk, who will play a crucial role in the new Trump administration, partnered with European far-right groups such as the German Alternative for Germany ahead of a Feb. 23 election.

Brussels was under pressure to examine Musk’s compliance with EU social media regulation, the Digital Services Act, including a live-streamed conversation Musk held with AfD leader Alice Weidel on January 9.

It had already committed to monitor if X’s algorithms provided the webcast a “boost.” This increase would give the AfD an unfair edge in the election.

On Friday, barely three days before Trump’s inauguration, the Commission announced three concrete initiatives.

On Friday, in Brussels, European Commission Spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters, “These steps are completely independent from any political considerations or any specific events recently.”

X must provide clarification on current and prospective changes to its content delivery infrastructure. The deadline for information on previous adjustments, which might tell regulators more about whether the Weidel stream received a boost, is February 15.

The corporation was also instructed to keep any information about planned modifications until the end of the year or until the Commission concluded its investigation.

This is not the first time the European Commission has issued a detention order. TikTok, a Chinese video app, already faces a similar injunction for its participation in last year’s Romanian elections.

Third, the Commission wants access to X’s interfaces so it can learn more about how accounts go viral.

Last July, the European Commission made a preliminary conclusion that X was in violation of the DSA. It claimed that X tricked users with its blue mark authentication scheme and a lack of advertising transparency and data availability.

The Commission has stated that it is currently evaluating X’s replies to those charges, in response to worries that Musk’s involvement with the US government has slowed the decision-making process. X might face fines of up to 6% of its global sales.

European MPs are scheduled to question the European Commission on Tuesday over X’s compliance with the DSA.