EC probes Musk's role in spreading disinformation on X

The European Commission is considering including Elon Musk's fake news about Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in its investigation against platform X, stated EC spokesperson Thomas Regnier during a press briefing in Brussels.

The EC spokesperson emphasized that spreading illegal content and amplifying dangerous narratives, including those concerning politicians outside the EU, could be part of the proceedings conducted against X.

Regnier explained that similar issues have arisen with fake news spread on X, which resulted in anti-immigrant riots in the United Kingdom. He also noted the case of content circulated on the platform related to Hamas's attack on Israel, where the reach and intensity of terrorist content could affect the EU.

One of the materials that may be included in the investigation is the fake news posted by Musk, featuring a photo of the Norwegian Prime Minister with Bill Gates. This photo was intended to suggest that both were criticizing Musk. Norwegian Secretary of State Kristoffer Thoner refuted these claims, calling them fake news.

Stoere did comment on Musk's attempts to meddle in international politics, but he did not discuss this matter with Gates. The meeting with the American businessman was about global health policy. Nevertheless, Musk's post received 12 million views and 11,000 comments.

Last year, the European Commission opened five investigations against platform X, including regarding the dissemination of illegal content. Two cases are still ongoing, and in three cases, the EC provided X with a preliminary assessment of the violation of EU regulations on digital services (DSA).

For breaking EU law, Musk's platform may face a fine up to 6% of its global turnover, and ultimately the EC could suspend X's operations in the EU.