Twitter / X: Elon Musk considers a petty move to escape EU disinformation scrutiny

Is Elon Musk considering pulling X, formerly known as Twitter, entirely out of the EU?

According to a recent report from Insider, it seems this is an option he’s weighing.

Rumors Emerge: Elon Musk’s Considering EU Exit for X

An insider revealed to Insider that Musk is growing frustrated with the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA). This law, effective since late August, categorizes major tech platforms—such as Meta, Google, and X—as “Very Large Online Platforms” and holds them legally accountable for user-generated content. The law specifically targets disinformation, privacy breaches, and unlawful posts.

Europe constitutes nine percent of X’s global monthly active users, as per data from mobile analytics firm Apptopia. However, Insider reports a notable drop in daily X usage, not just in the EU, but globally.

X app on mobile
Credit: Shutterstock

Musk’s approach to content moderation on the platform has faced criticism since his acquisition. However, the surge in disinformation following the Hamas attack in Israel has intensified the issue. For instance, Musk himself endorsed two accounts known for disseminating fake news to over 150 million followers during the attack.

Last week, EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton cautioned X about potential DSA violations due to lax content moderation. In response, Musk challenged Breton to provide public examples on the X platform. X CEO Linda Yaccarino took a more serious stance, responding with a letter outlining X’s actions post the Oct. 7 attacks.

Unfortunately, Yaccarino’s emphasis on the Community Notes crowd-sourced fact-checking feature, placing content moderation responsibility on X users, failed to convince EU officials. Consequently, the EU formally demanded information from X as part of an official investigation, the first of its kind under the DSA.

If X is found in violation of the DSA, the EU could levy a fine of up to six percent of X’s global revenue.

An EU exit for X would certainly lead to a decrease in platform traffic and user base. However, this wouldn’t mark the first time Musk’s decisions have adversely impacted platform growth. Recently, X announced a trial in New Zealand and the Philippines, proposing a yearly $1 fee for new users posting or interacting with content.