Twitter to exit Europe? Elon Musk pulls Twitter out of EU agreement to fight disinformation

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter and the ever-so-consistent crusader of freedom of speech may be planning Twitter’s exit from the European market. That is, if the social media platform isn’t banned across most of the continent first. Twitter is looking at a potential ban in parts of Europe after Musk made Twitter pull out of an upcoming agreement which is being signed by all social media platforms to take measures to stop the dissemination of fake news and other forms of disinformation. Is Twitter really exiting Europe? Twitter’s recent action suggests that Elon Musk may be contemplating the closure of the platform in Europe or potentially facing substantial fines. This course of action is prompted by the introduction of new legislation known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which is set to come into effect in August. The DSA mandates prominent social media platforms to actively monitor and identify disinformation, a task that was previously optional. The European Commissioner has affirmed that combatting disinformation will now be a legal obligation under the DSA. According to a tweet from EU industry chief Thierry Breton, Twitter has decided to withdraw from the EU voluntary code of practice against disinformation. However, this does not exempt Twitter from its obligations, as the Digital Services Act (DSA) will still require the platform to take actions against disinformation and bot farms, provide transparent warnings about political advertising, and support fact-checking. No requirement to remove content, but flag them Under the DSA, Twitter is not mandated to remove content, but it must offer mechanisms for users to report illegal content. By opting out of the current agreement, Twitter exposes itself to potential penalties under the DSA, including fines of up to 6% of its annual revenue imposed by the European Commission. European officials have cautioned Musk and Twitter that non-compliance with the rules could lead to the platform being banned in the EU. The significance of the DSA increased following a whistleblower’s revelation that Facebook and its parent company, Meta, prioritized profit over addressing misinformation and hate speech. Elon Musk’s topsy-turvy stand on free speech Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, has been posting content on the platform that pushes the boundaries of what could be flagged under the DSA and another EU policy concerning hate speech. Musk has been known for his advocacy of free speech and has frequently voiced opposition to moderation. However, Musk’s advocacy of free speech has been anything but consistent. Musk has added several addendums to his definition of free speech. Over the months since he has taken over Twitter, Musk has had to come face to face with the fact that content moderation is part and parcel of running a social media platform. If not for the users, then upon government requests, Twitter and social media platforms have to take down certain content, or restrict its reach, if it wishes to continue to operate in the country. Unfortunately for Musk, he has been categorically on the wrong side of the aisle, no matter what he says. While proclaiming to be a free speech absolutist, Musk sided with President Erdoğan in the Turkish elections, by restricting the reach or shadow-banning the accounts of several prominent leaders of the Opposition. Considering the anticipated crackdown under the DSA, there are speculations that Twitter may find it more convenient to cease its operations entirely in the EU.