Israel-Hamas Conflict: EU Launches Investigation Into Elon Musk's X For Disinformation

The European Union has initiated an official investigation into Elon Musk's X social media platform due to concerns surrounding the spread of disinformation and violent content related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, has taken this action by filing a binding request for information, aiming to assess the platform's compliance with regulations governing illegal and harmful content.

In response to indications of the alleged transmission of illicit content, the European Commission has launched an investigation into X.

The platform has been presented with an extensive 40-page document outlining queries and concerns about its content.

X is required to respond to the most pressing questions by next Wednesday, with a deadline of October 31 for less urgent requests for information.

The investigation is a response to growing concerns over social media platforms, including X, hosting disinformation and violent content pertaining to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

This content includes not only misinformation but also imagery from other conflicts and video games. X has drawn particular scrutiny after an EU study revealed its poor performance in combating disinformation, especially in the context of ongoing conflicts.

Fighting between Israel and Hamas entered a seventh day on Friday as the Israeli army instructed more than one million Palestinians trapped in Gaza to move south within 24 hours before an expected ground offensive.

Israeli air strikes on Gaza over the past week have killed more than 1,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 6,600 others, according to Palestinian officials.