Micro-blogging platform X alters content policy amid Israel-Hamas conflict

In a digital face-off, Elon Musk, the tech billionaire behind the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), and the European Union's Industry Chief, Thierry Breton, are locked in a heated discussion over disinformation concerns on the social media platform.

Overnight, the X platform introduced significant changes to its content policy, leaving many European users uncertain about the impact of these alterations. The key change that EU Industry Chief Thierry Breton referred to is related to the "public interest exception."

X's safety team responded by expressing its dedication to protecting conversations on the platform and enforcing rules. They highlighted their actions, including the removal of newly created Hamas-affiliated accounts and efforts to prevent terrorist content distribution.

X's escalation teams have also taken action against thousands of posts involving graphic media, verified accounts, violent speech, and hateful conduct. It talks about the uncertainty about high profile accounts. The platform continues to proactively monitor and address potential antisemitic speech.

In the past couple of days, we’ve seen an increase in daily active users on @X in the conflict area, plus there have been more than 50 million posts globally focusing on the weekend’s terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas.

As the events continue to unfold rapidly, a cross-company…

— Safety (@Safety) October 10, 2023

Public interest exception modified

The previous policy allowed exceptions for posts from verified accounts or those with over 100,000 followers, under the premise that they served the public interest.

The recent policy revision eliminates the 100,000-follower exception and replaces "verified account" with "high profile account." This change comes after Elon Musk's decision to grant blue checkmarks to subscribers, regardless of their noteworthiness.

Uncertainty around "High Profile" accounts

While the new policy introduces "high profile accounts," it does not provide a specific definition for this category. However, it maintains the requirement that accounts must represent a current or potential member of a governmental or legislative body to qualify for an exception.

X's safety team justified this change as a means to ensure real-time information accessibility during significant events while allowing users to control the media they encounter through content settings. These policy modifications highlight ongoing challenges in content moderation and balancing public interest with sensitive content.