The EU wants to know just how X’s recommendation algorithm works

As part of an ongoing investigation into X, the European Commission has from the company related to how its work. The European Union’s regulatory arm is particularly interested in any recent changes to the algorithm. The EC said it asked X to provide the information by February 15 as it steps up the Digital Services Act (DSA) probe.

On top of that, regulators asked for access to certain APIs that X provides so it can conduct “direct fact-finding on content moderation and virality of accounts.” The Commission has also slapped X with a retention order. This requires the company to retain internal documents related to future changes to the algorithm through the rest of 2025 (or earlier if the investigation wraps up before then).

“Today, we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X’s recommender systems with the obligations under the DSA,” Henna Virkkunen — the Commission’s executive vice-president for sovereignty, security and democracy — said in a statement on Friday. ”We are committed to ensuring that every platform operating in the EU respects our legislation, which aims to make the online environment fair, safe, and democratic for all European citizens.”

The EC in December 2023 to look into potential violations of the DSA. Companies that are deemed to have breached the law face fines of up to six percent of their global annual revenue.

Thierry Breton, the former European commissioner for internal market, said the bloc was looking into whether X failed to live up to its obligations regarding transparency and tackling illegal content. Possible deceptive design practices are also under the Commission’s microscope.

Regulators stepped up their investigation after X owner Elon Musk publicly backed the Reform party in the UK, as well as the far-right Alternative for Germany party ahead of an election in February. As  notes, some European politicians have claimed that Musk is meddling in elections. He decried the criticism as an attack on free speech and democracy.

To that end, the Commission is looking into whether X’s algorithms shadowban certain perspectives while amplifying a single narrative. However, it said that Musk is free to speak as he wishes.