Twitter leaves EU code of practice against disinformation, regulators warn

London, May 28

Elon Musk-run Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union's Code of Practice on online disinformation -- a move which has not gone well with the regulators.

EU's internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, on Saturday said Twitter cannot hide from incoming legal liability in the region.

"Twitter leaves the EU voluntary Code of Practice against disinformation. But obligations remain. You can run but you can't hide," Breton posted in a tweet.

The platform is legally required to comply with as a very large online platform (VLOP) under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

"Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be a legal obligation under #DSA as of August 25. Our teams will be ready for enforcement," Breton warned Twitter.

The law, which entered into force back in November, requires VLOPs like Twitter to assess and mitigate systemic risks to civic discourse and electoral processes, such as disinformation, reports TechCrunch.

The deadline for VLOPs' compliance with obligations in the DSA is three months from now.

In April, the EU warned Twitter over spreading disinformation and encouraging the Kremlin agenda.

Vera Jourova, Vice-President for Values and Transparency at EU, said in a tweet that this is yet another "negative sign from Twitter on not making digital information space any safer and free from the Kremlin disinformation and malicious influence".

Twitter has been confirmed as one of 19 major tech platforms subject to a centralised oversight by the EU under the new Digital Services Act (DSA).

The DSA requires major social media platforms to take steps to mitigate systemic risks like disinformation and failing to do so can invite penalties of up to 6 per cent of their global annual turnover.

The EU DSA wants the social media platforms to maintain independent auditing and share data with relevant authorities, along with adopting a code of conduct by August this year.