Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is set to update its privacy policy to provide clearer information to users in the European Union regarding their rights under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA allows users to appeal decisions made by platforms, such as account bans, content removal, and shadowbanning. Failure to comply with the DSA can result in penalties of up to 6% of a company’s global annual turnover.
The updated policy, scheduled to take effect on November 15, 2024, will include a summary of DSA-related changes. X users in the EU will now have the option to challenge decisions made by the platform through an internal process or out-of-court dispute settlement. The company will also provide a link for users to submit appeals regarding illegal content decisions directly to X.
One user, Danny Meki?, successfully sued X over shadowbanning in the Netherlands, citing a lack of notification, explanation, and appeal options for account restrictions. While Meki?’s complaints were upheld, broader DSA enforcement against X is still pending. The European Commission has multiple ongoing investigations into the company’s policies and practices related to illegal content notices and complaint handling.
In response to the updates, Meki? emphasized the importance of X proactively informing users of any limitations on their visibility, as required by the DSA. He expressed hope that European regulators would enforce these obligations more strictly in the future.
Despite attempts to contact X for clarification on the policy changes, the company has not yet responded. Additionally, the Commission has been contacted for an update on its investigations into X, which were initiated almost ten months ago. As the DSA continues to shape online governance in the EU, platforms like X are under increasing scrutiny to ensure compliance with regulations and respect for user rights.
