Irish Regulator Investigates Elon Musk’s X Platform

Ireland’s media regulator announced on Wednesday that it is investigating Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, over concerns it may have violated EU regulations by not providing users with the ability to appeal moderation decisions.

The Media Commission said in a statement that there were concerns X was failing to offer users a clear and accessible process to challenge content moderation decisions, and that its internal complaint-handling systems were not user-friendly, as required by law.

Under the European Digital Services Act (DSA), X is classified as a “very large online platform,” meaning it is subject to enhanced regulatory oversight.

Brussels had already opened its own investigation into X at the end of 2023, focusing particularly on the spread of misinformation on the platform. However, national regulators in the countries where a company’s European headquarters are based are responsible for ensuring compliance with certain provisions of the DSA.

“This investigation will assess whether X has properly informed users of their rights to contest decisions it makes,” said John Evans, Ireland’s digital services commissioner. “We will not hesitate to intervene and, where appropriate, take enforcement action to protect the safety of users in Ireland and across the European Union.”

This marks the first investigation launched by the Irish regulator under the DSA and could result in a fine of up to six percent of the company’s global revenues.