A group of European MPs insists that the European Commission investigate whether the owner of the social network “X“ Elon Musk does not increase the spread of his own comments in a way that violates European Union law, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The inquiry is based on a study by the University of Queensland in Australia that examined the prevalence of Musk's comments in recent months.
Musk, who also owns “Tesla” and “SpaceX” and is also an influential associate of US President-elect Donald Trump, was recently nominated to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.
The request of the European Parliament was signed by 42 MPs from different factions. It suggests that the algorithms have recently shifted in favor of Musk's own comments. This also includes the processes determining where and how they appear on the platform. Researchers report that since Musk announced his support for Trump in July, the number of views of his comments has skyrocketed.
Although the comments of other influential politicians were also frequently reviewed during the US election campaign, those of Musk marked a remarkably higher rise.
The results suggest that specific visibility advantages may have been selectively applied to the platform, according to the authors of the study, which has not yet been independently reviewed.
MEPs fear impacts on public security
„The increase in views also applies to the posts in “X“ of Musk on topics related to the EU and its member states, Kremlin-friendly propaganda about the war in Ukraine and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, the MEPs state in their written request to the European Commission.