October 13, 2023
In response to mounting concerns over disinformation and illegal content dissemination following the Hamas attack, X (formerly known as Twitter) has removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts and initiated the process of either labeling or removing their contents, according to Chief Executive, Linda Yaccarino.
This move was prompted by European Union Industry Chief Thierry Breton, who issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Elon Musk. Breton expressed deep concerns about the platform being exploited to disseminate unlawful content and disinformation within the EU, calling for immediate compliance with new EU online content regulations. Thierry Breton also issued the ultimatum to Meta, demanding information on actions taken to counter disinformation in the wake of the Israel attack.
Yaccarino says X has reorganized its internal resources to address theis, though specific changes were not disclosed. Yaccarino also highlighted the establishment of a dedicated leadership group to assess the situation shortly after the Hamas attack.
In an open letter to Breton, Yaccarino emphasized the platform’s commitment to further engagement and cooperation. X has been responsive, promptly addressing over 80 takedown requests from the EU without any notices of illegal content from Europol.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.
