EU asks X for internal documents about algorithms as it steps up investigation
The European Commission has asked X to hand over internal documents about its algorithms, as it steps up its investigation into whether Elon Musk’s social media platform has breached EU rules on content moderation.The EU’s executive branch told the company it wanted to see internal documentation about its “recommender system”, which makes content suggestions to users, and any recent changes made to it, by 15 February.X has been under investigation since December 2023 under the EU’s content law – known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) – over how it tackles the spread of illegal content and information manipulation.The company has been accused of manipulating the platform’s systems to give far-right posts and politicians greater visibility over other political groups.The EU has come under growing pressure in recent weeks to take action after a series of interventions by Musk into European politics.
Musk, who will be a part of Donald Trump’s administration in the US, has angered many on the continent with attacks on its leaders as well as expressions of support for Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.“Today we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X’s recommender systems with the obligations under the DSA,” the EU digital commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, said in a statement.The commission played down reports this week that it was reviewing its investigations against big tech companies, stressing that they were continuing as normal and Trump’s return to the White House did not affect its commitment to enforcing its laws.Virkkunen implied that the EU would not hesitate to use the powers it had to ban or fine X if it was found to be in breach of the DSA.“We are committed to ensuring that every platform operating in the EU respects our legislation, which aims to make the online environment fair, safe and democratic for all European citizens,” she said.
As well as its request for information on X’s recommender systems and any recent changes by 15 February, the three-pronged investigation has also issued a “retention order” obliging the platform to preserve internal documents and information regarding future changes to the design and functioning of the recommender algorithm between 17 January and 31 December unless the commission’s investigation concludes before the end of the year.The commission has also issued a request for access to certain of X’s commercial interfaces or APIs, which are used to automatically draw content from third parties.Johnny Ryan, a tech litigator, said it was “positive” that Virkkunen “is taking the opportunity to publicly signal that the EU will enforce its law on its soil”.He said the retention order was “an important step” and was used after the Romanian election manipulation involving TikTok.Some European politicians have accused Musk of meddling in elections, such as with his streamed conversation with Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD, earlier this month.
The commission has said Musk is free to speak his mind and can hold live streams with politicians but is assessing whether algorithms boost a single narrative and “shadow-ban” other views, posing a risk to fair elections.Musk has said the criticism is an affront to democracy and free speech.
Apple suspends AI-generated news alert service after BBC complaint
Apple is suspending an artificial intelligence feature that made inaccurate summaries of news headlines.The tech company received a complaint from the BBC after the AI-generated service issued a news alert branded with the corporation’s logo falsely telling some iPhone users that Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare chief executive, Brian Thompson, had shot himself.Other false notices that carried the BBC logo included one claiming Luke Littler had won the PDC World Darts final before playing in it and another that the tennis player Rafael Nadal had “come out” as gay.Apple said in a statement that the feature would be suspended as part of its next software update, due imminently. Other news organisations were affected by the errors, with a summary of New York Times alerts wrongly claiming that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had been arrested
UK TikTokers say goodbye to US followers as ban looms: ‘It’s a really beautiful community’
If TikTok disappears from the US, it won’t just be its 170 million American users who will lose out.British TikTokers and business owners have told the Guardian they will also lose a sizeable chunk of their audiences after a ban. The video app has become a key gateway to Americans for the UK’s online video creators, who make a living from accruing views and making sponsored content deals. With the ban scheduled to take effect on Sunday, a US-sized hole will appear in the global userbase.“In English-speaking markets, a lot of creators have sizeable US audiences that follow them,” says Thomas Walters, chief executive of Billion Dollar Boy, a UK-based advertising agency that pairs blue-chip advertisers with creators and influencers
Elon Musk knows little about UK and Germany and should not interfere – poll
Most people in the UK and Germany consider Elon Musk’s efforts to influence their national politics unacceptable and believe the US tech magnate does not know much about either country or the issues they face, a poll has shown.The survey, by YouGov, follows a spate of hostile statements by the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X attacking the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and their respective governments.The poll, of more than 2,200 people in each country, also found that majorities of 54% in both countries thought it was “not important” for their governments to cultivate a good relationship with Musk, and about 50% thought he was best ignored.The survey found that only 13% of respondents in both countries saw Musk’s interventions in their politics as acceptable, with 69% in the UK and 73% in Germany saying the opposite. Most also thought his meddling in US politics was unacceptable
Donald Trump reportedly weighing up TikTok ban delay
Donald Trump is considering suspending a TikTok ban in the US with an executive order when he enters the White House on 20 January, according to a report.The president-elect is exploring an executive order that would postpone enforcement of a sale-or-ban law due to come into force on 19 January, said the Washington Post. The report added, however, that Trump’s legal grounds for suspending a law passed by Congress are questionable.Under the terms of the law, the short video app’s US operation must be sold by its Chinese owners by Sunday. If a sale does not occur, new users will not be able to download TikTok from app stores
UK Meta staff ‘concerned’ over scrapping of factcheckers and DEI programmes
UK staff at Facebook owner Meta feel “concerned” and “let down” about the company’s decision to scrap factcheckers and diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, the trade union representing UK tech workers has warned the firm.The Prospect union, which represents a growing number of UK Meta employees, has written to Meta to express staff concern about the impact of the controversial decisions by chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg.“Staff of many years’ service at Meta have highlighted how incredibly let down they feel by their employer’s change of tone,” wrote Prospect assistant secretary Andrew Sturtevant to Meta.He added: “Our members are concerned over Meta’s future direction and the potential impact of policy changes on employees and on the company’s reputation.”In a letter addressed to Lizzie Runham, Meta’s HR director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Sturtevant warned the company it may struggle to hire and keep staff in light of recent announcements
Stronger age checks to come into force for online pornography sites in UK
Users accessing online pornography in the UK could soon be required to have their face scanned, under measures announced by Ofcom to stop children seeing the material.Enforcement guidelines released on Thursday, which will apply to social media platforms as well as sites such as OnlyFans and Pornhub, stipulate that children will no longer be able to simply assert they are 18 to view pornography online.The communications watchdog also said adults would have to start proving their age – with methods including facial age estimation, credit card checks or matching with a photo-ID.The requirements around the “highly effective” age checks will start coming into force this spring for several thousand services that display or publish their own pornographic content. The rules will bite on so-called peer-to-peer and social media services by July, with potential sanctions for breaches including fines of up to 10% of a company’s turnover
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