An Internet safety watchdog in Australia is being added to the long list of individuals and groups who are losing their confidence in Twitter ever since billionaire Elon Musk bought and took over the platform in October last year.
Now, this Australian Internet safety watchdog is threatening to fine Twitter for its failure to address online abuse, stating that Musk’s takeover has brought “toxicity and hate” to life on the platform.
‘We need accountability’
Julie Inman Grant, the e-safety commissioner – and interestingly, also a former Twitter employee – told news outlets on Thursday that Twitter is the subject of one in three complaints reported in Australia concerning online hate speech.
She, together with her group, is giving Twitter 28 days to clean up or sort out the “toxicity and hate” happening on the platform, or else Twitter would have to pay around $475,000 for each day it missed the deadline.
Grant added that Twitter must return to them with a series of concrete plans showing what actions it is taking to prevent online hate on the platform and implement its own rules.
“Twitter appears to have dropped the ball on tackling hate,” said Grant, who previously worked on cyber safety at Twitter after her 17-year stint at Microsoft.
She also said that the watchdog is not alone when it comes to those concerned about the increasing levels of toxicity and hate on Twitter, specifically hurled against marginalized communities.
“We are also concerned by numerous reports of content remaining widely accessible that is likely in breach of Twitter’s own terms of service,” Grant added. “We need accountability from these platforms and action to protect their users, and you cannot have accountability without transparency.”
Warning from EU
Twitter is seemingly not having a perfect day lately. It appears it is in hot water from various groups around the world. After the warning it received from an Australian Internet safety watchdog, a commissioner from the European Union is visiting California soon to visit Twitter’s headquarters and meet with Musk, as well as other tech offices and executives.
The EU commissioner, Thierry Breton, will make this trip just weeks before the EU’s Digital Service Act (DSA) takes full effect for the world’s biggest social media platforms, not just Twitter but also Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Since Musk took over Twitter, he has modified several rules about what kind of language is permitted on the site, even if it is offensive, or spurs hate and fake news – opposing the EU’s new rules.
The billionaire accepted the challenge for Twitter to go through DSA’s “stress test” to see if his platform will adhere to EU’s standards, though the results will not be made public. During his Paris trip last week, he also said he is ready to meet the demands of the DSA.
However, observers are not confident Musk will stand by his word.
Yesterday, Breton also warned Musk that Twitter must have sufficient resources to moderate harmful content by August 25 or be tagged as violating the bloc’s rules.
“I am the enforcer. I represent the law, which is the will of the state and the people,” the EU commissioner said.
