EU Intensifies Pressure On X After Musk’s Support For German Opposition Party

The European Union has demanded that Elon Musk’s X platform provide internal documentation on its algorithmic operations, citing concerns over potential violations of content moderation rules. This request comes as Germany prepares for a national election, with rising support for the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Regulators in Brussels have ordered X to submit detailed reports on its recommendation system by February 15. The investigation, carried out under the Digital Services Act (DSA), aims to determine whether the platform has been amplifying content that challenges the EU’s stance on issues such as migration and governance.

The increased scrutiny follows Musk’s recent interview with AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, which attracted significant attention from users across Europe. EU officials have suggested that the platform’s algorithm may be unfairly boosting political content that opposes mainstream European policies.

Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s digital commissioner, stated that compliance with the DSA is mandatory and that failure to meet transparency requirements could result in heavy fines. The DSA grants the EU the power to penalize tech companies up to 6% of their global revenue if they fail to comply.

Musk has pushed back against the EU’s actions, arguing that they amount to censorship aimed at limiting free speech. He has repeatedly stated that X’s policies allow open dialogue and do not favor any particular political group.

The EU’s demands also include an order requiring X to preserve internal records related to its algorithmic changes until the investigation concludes.