Elon Musk has recently suggested the possibility of suspending access to Platform X in the European Union to avoid the new regulations imposed by the European Commission.
This proposal stems from Musk's significant frustration with complying with the Digital Services Act. Musk is considering the idea of either removing the application's availability in the region or preventing users in the European Union from accessing it, similar to how Meta restricted access to the Threads app for individuals in Europe.
The Digital Services Act was implemented in August, requiring major online platforms like X to develop transparent and effective systems for monitoring and removing false and harmful information.
Furthermore, Platform X may be in violation of the Digital Services Act due to the spread of false information related to events in Palestine.
Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner, stated that the European Commission is officially investigating X's compliance with the law and has requested detailed information regarding the measures the platform takes to mitigate and remove harmful content.
X may face financial penalties if found in violation of the Digital Services Act, as the committee can impose fines of up to 6% of the company's global revenue.
Elon Musk has recently dismissed most of the trust and safety team at X, which previously consisted of hundreds of individuals responsible for managing and monitoring content on the platform.
It's worth noting that this is not the first time Musk has proposed a significant reduction in the scope of access to the application. He previously suggested restricting X operations to the United States only after acquiring the company with the aim of reducing costs.
This proposal is part of the reasons that led Musk to relinquish international teams at the earliest opportunity, as he has dismissed thousands of employees since taking over the company.
Earlier this year, Musk proposed reducing X's global presence when he closed nearly all of the company's global offices, most of which were located in Europe and India, in addition to other offices in Australia, Africa, and South Korea. At that time, Musk suggested that the application should only be available in countries with large user bases, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Europe represents approximately 9% of Platform X's active monthly user base worldwide, but usage of the application has significantly declined in the past three months throughout the region.
