
The global fight against fake news has receiveda big setback.
Microblogging platform Twitter has exited the European Union's disinformation code, which aims to fight harmful content and fake news.
According to a Bloomberg report, this development comes after Twitter became the only major tech company to not submit a complete report required under the disinformation code.
Though voluntary, Twitter had promised to follow the European Union's disinformation code. This was before Elon Musk completed the takeover process in October 2022.
In a bid to fight disinformation, bring greater transparency in political advertising, and empower fact checkers, the European Union introduced a Code of Practice on Disinformation in May 2022. A month later, 34 organisations, including Twitter, signed it.
Bloomberg reported that the microblogging platform's report to the European Union lacked data and did not include commitments that would empower fact checkers.
“You can run but you can’t hide. Our teams will be ready for enforcement," media reports quoted EU's Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton as saying. Breton's statement indicates that obligations to fight fake news will remain despite Twitter's withdrawal from the disinformation code.
The coming months will be tough for Twitter.
Fighting disinformation will soon become a legal obligation under the EU's Digital Services Act.
However, Twitter's EU operations are in shambles amid the ongoing job cuts. This has raised doubts whether the company will be able to comply with the new law. Failing to follow the new law could lead to a hefty fine or an outright ban on the microblogging platform.