Twitter agrees to comply with tough EU disinformation laws

Twitter has agreed to conform with difficult new EU legal guidelines on faux information, Russian propaganda and on line crime after a group of officers from the European Commission entered its headquarters to strain test its capability to function legally in Europe.

The move came simply weeks after Elon Musk, Twitter’s proprietor, quit the bloc’s voluntary code of practice on disinformation.

In the primary exercising of its type, EU officials have been allowed into the corporation’s headquarters on Thursday to perform a mock exercise with Twitter workforce to check its controls on Russian propaganda, faux information and criminal activity along with child sexual exploitation.Thierry Breton, the commissioner liable for enforcement of the brand new Digital Services Act, welcomed the truth the employer voluntarily agreed to the take a look at.

He reiterated his warning to all social media companies that the EU would act unexpectedly and sharply to uphold the sweeping new legal guidelines that enter into force in August.

“When it involves online crime, there may be no half of measures. Very massive on line systems want to place the vital inner controls and assets in area to be prepared for the new European policies,” he said.

The new legal guidelines come into force on 25 August but EU fears that Twitter might not comply had grow to be heightened, with one commissioner warning the organization currently that a “wild west” operation might now not be tolerated.The tests in the exercise protected regions such as recommended content and controls to combat illegal content material on line along with on-line infant sexual exploitation, as well as Twitter’s method to disinformation.

Forty-four corporations, inclusive of Google and Facebook, are participating in the EU’s code of practice, which the bloc added as a method of supporting social media structures put together for the brand new legal guidelines.

The EU had warned Musk he ought to face a complete ban in Europe or fines jogging up to six% of its worldwide revenue if it does no longer observe the laws.

Breton, on a -day go to to Silicon Valley, stated Twitter still had an extended way to visit get ready. “Twitter is taking the exercise significantly and has recognized the important thing areas on which it wishes to recognition to comply with the DSA. With two months to go before the brand new EU law kicks in, paintings wishes to maintain for the structures to be in vicinity and paintings correctly and fast.“I advised Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino [Twitter’s chief executive] that Twitter need to be very diligent in making ready to address illegal content material in the European Union.

“Fighting disinformation, which include seasoned-Russian propaganda, may also be a focal point region especially as we’re coming into a duration of elections in Europe.”