X is the biggest source of misinformation according to EU

According to an EU-commissioned analysis, Twitter — or rather, X — is the most dangerous source of misinformation among the six main social media networks.

The research looked at nearly 6,000 postings and 4,000 user profiles on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It centered on three nations deemed vulnerable owing to approaching elections and the potential of Russian propaganda: Slovakia, Poland, and Spain. Followed by Facebook, X had the greatest ratio of misinformation postings and actors. YouTube came in last place.

“The Russian state has engaged in the war of ideas to pollute our information space with half-truths and lies to create a false image that democracy is no better than autocracy,” Věra Jourová, Commission VP of Value and Transparency, said in a press briefing on Tuesday. She continued, calling it "a multi-million euro weapon of mass manipulation," adding that extremely sizable web platforms "must" handle the dangers.

Google, Microsoft, TikTok, and other internet behemoths have already made substantial efforts to reduce these hazards. According to the EU's code of practice on disinformation, the corporations have submitted their initial six-month reports, according to Jourová.

As an illustration, Google said that it has eliminated ads from around 300 websites that were connected to state-funded propaganda portals. While this was going on, Meta added 26 new fact-checking partners across 22 different European languages.

The companies signed up for the voluntary code in 2018, and their reports now act as a precursor to their adherence to the historic Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU's rules on online content moderation that target misinformation, illegal content, and privacy infringement.

The act will also make the code's voluntary application into a requirement for proper behaviour. Despite having signed the code back in 2018, Twitter withdrew at Musk's direction.

But to make matters worse for the infamous businessman, X is unable to leave the DSA. It risks sanctions of up to 6% of its global income or possibly a temporary expulsion from the union if it doesn't comply..

“Mr Musk knows he is not off the hook by leaving the code of practice,” said Jourová. “There are obligations under the hard law. So my message for Twitter/X is you have to comply. We will be watching what you do”.