European Commission refuses to advertise on Twitter (X)

The European Commission's Communications Department has asked all EU executive services to stop running ads on social network X, formerly Twitter, due to concerns about the spread of misinformation.

This was reported by Politico, citing an internal commission document.

In a note sent to all heads of service, European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Dana Spinant noted that disinformation on X, especially regarding the war between Israel and Hamas, led the commission to "recommend that advertising on this platform be temporarily suspended" until further notice to avoid the risk of damaging the institution's reputation.

Social network X is under scrutiny in Europe due to the new Digital Services Act (DSA) adopted by the European Union. In October, the Commission, which monitors compliance with the law, sent an official request to Elon Musk's company to explain how it handles illegal content and disinformation related to the October 7 Hamas attack in accordance with the DSA.

EU services can still use X for communications through the European Commission's numerous profile pages. But Spinant said the department would "consider using alternative platforms, such as LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook, to place paid advertisements.

"We are also exploring new platforms to diversify our social media presence," Spinant said.

Author - Olena Madiak, 17/11/2023