Germany expects Twitter to fight disinformation

Germany expects the messaging service to voluntarily continue to fight against misinformation, Twitter boss Elon Musk has said. Transport and Digital Affairs Minister Volker Vissing met with the billionaire in California this week.

Wissing also emphasized the importance of the European Digital Services Act, a law requiring online platforms to act against illegal content. Musk reassured the German minister in a “frank and lengthy conversation,” the minister’s spokesman said. The spokesman added that Germany was closely monitoring Twitter.

Musk, best known as Tesla’s boss, bought Twitter in late October. Since then, he has made a series of controversial decisions, including allowing anyone previously banned to message. He regularly consults with his followers about what to do, and he posts more and more right-wing political statements on Twitter.

Musk has been closely watched by government departments in the US and Europe, as he says almost all statements fall under freedom of expression. There will already be investigations into whether Twitter is complying with all laws.