Disinformation Mass departures after Elon Musk takeover of Twitter worries regulator
The Twitter bird. — zz/John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx/AP/S
Arcom recalled Monday at; Twitter its “obligations” in the fight against disinformation and hateful content, expressing its “deep concern” after the haemorrhage of departures affecting the social network since its takeover by Elon Musk, in a letter consulted by AFP.
In a letter to Twitter’s European headquarters to Dublin, the president of the French audiovisual regulator, Roch-Olivier Maistre, recalls that the firm to the blue bird has decided beginning of November to separate from half; of its employees, “or 3,700 people”, and “approximately 75%” of its service providers.
Twitter had affirmed, in a questionnaire published by the CSA (predecessor of Arcom) last year, employing 1,867 people dedicated to “the application of (its) policies and content moderation, “more than a third” of its “global workforce” In this context, Arcom questions “the capacity of from Twitter to; maintain a safe environment” for its users, explains Roch-Olivier Maistre.
The social network, which had 5.6 million unique visitors per day in France in September, according to M diametrie, must in particular “fight against the manipulation of information” under a dedicated law. Adopted at the end of 2018, it provides that the giants of the Web set up reporting systems and report on their efforts to the public. Arcom, which can send them recommendations.
“”Obligation of means””
Twitter is further “subject to; all obligations of means” to combat hateful content, provided by law for confidence in the digital economy. If he cannot sanction the platform, the regulator is in charge. to ensure that the proper application of these obligations.
Arcom is thus asking the social network, by “November 24 at the latest”, to “confirm” that he is “able” to deal with it and “to let him know how things are going. short term human and technological resources” dedicated to it.
The regulator warns that it wants “more broadly to ensure” Twitter”s involvement “in the implementation” of the much more restrictive European Digital Services Act (DSA). This historic regulation, which Twitter will have to apply around the summer of 2023, authorizes the European Commission to impose fines on platforms of up to 6% of their worldwide turnover, or even a ban on operating in the EU in the event of repeated serious infringements.