European Union tightens thumbscrews on Elon Musk
The European Union is likely to threaten to impose a ban in Europe if he does not struggle enough hate speech and misleading information. But are Twitter ready – and able – to do this?
This message was to the President of Twitter Elon Musk clear from the beginning. European Union Commissioner Thierry Bretton tweeted at the end of October, shortly after Elon Musk seized on Twitter: “In Europe, the bird will fly according to our rules.”
After a personal conversation between the two at a video conference, Bretton continued: “There is still a lot of work in front of us,” tweeted. “Since Twitter needs to implement transparent user policies, significantly overseeing content, and suppressing misleading information.”
Moreover, Bretton was said to have specifically threatened a mask during the conversation that it would prohibit Twitter from Europe if the network does not comply with the laws of the new European Union. This is what the British newspaper “Financial Times” reported.
DSA regulations with high fines – reach and include the ban
The background: The European Union Digital Services Law (Digital Services Law, DSA in a nutshell) did not enter into force until mid -November. With new regulations, the European Union wants to control social networks closely. The law imposes strict requirements on online platform operators, including those related to combating hate speech, misleading information and advertising. The illegal content should be immediately deleted and consistent.
In the event of serious, repeated violations of the law, the European Union can impose fines of up to six percent of global sales, or even “prohibiting activities in the internal market of the European Union,” according to the commission.
Twitter no longer takes action against false news about Corona
Elon Musk is located in the European Union’s trap: describing himself as “absolute of freedom of expression” and announced that he will significantly reduce moderation in the content of his program – the European Union demands the opposite. Just as in the control of misleading information:
While the European Union wants more participation, Twitter announced on the transparency website last week that it will not take any action against the spread of false allegations about the Korona’s pandemic. Mask reduced himself of the importance of the pandemic in 2020. As a result, some Twitter accounts have tested the extent they can now reach. The European Union is also annoyed by the fact that Musk has been banned on Twitter again. Instead, it requires clear criteria.
But can Twitter meet the requirements of the European Union with its current employees? After the mass demobilization of workers, only about 2,500 out of 7,500 employees were said to have been left, which became more and more problem, especially in combating hate speech.
Former employee: Increasing the number of complaints about hate speech
European Union Commissioner Vera Jurova said in an interview with Zdfheute, that a mask dismissed “great experience employees who understood, for years of consultations, what we want in Europe.” Jurova, responsible for values and transparency, in addition to adhering to the rule of law in the European Union Commission, warned of “the Wild Westering Digital”.
Since the assumption of assumptions, the number of complaints about the hate speech and offensive tweets has increased by half, says a previous Twitter employee Melissa Angel in an interview with ARD channel.
Twitter uses external collaborators to examine the hateful speech
According to the Twitter transparency report, more than 150 people were responsible for treating messages in German on Twitter in the first half of 2022 in Germany, but the remaining people are not known.
But only 10 percent of them were employed directly via Twitter. When it comes to examining illegal content and perhaps deleting it, Twitter works mainly with external service providers. According to media reports, many contracts have been terminated, but the Austrian analyst for social media, Luca Hamer, explains in an interview with Zdfheut:
But Mask can also the opposite quickly or signing new contracts if he realizes that the European Union is breathing from his neck
“The moderation can always be quickly resolved with money,” says Hamer.
The requirements of the European Union may not apply until 2024
But when it comes to payment, how can the European Union ban on Twitter in the first place? In principle, member states can have a banned website banned by the Internet provider, as Hamer explains. In addition, the main Google Play and Apple Store stores may be obligated to remove the Twitter app from its scope.
But this will not happen soon: DSA requirements will only be applied throughout the European Union as of mid -February 2024. For large platforms in particular such as Twitter, the law can be applied earlier, but the UNHCR should still decide on that.
Elon Musk still has time to respond to the new instructions. First, at the beginning of 2023, UNHCR employees will conduct a test at the headquarters of Twitter, a hot radish.
