EU Demands A Peek Under The Hood Of X's Recommendation Algorithms

The European Commission is stepping up its ongoing investigation of Elon Musk's X with a request to examine recent changes made to the platform's recommendation algorithms.

Brussels today announced it is demanding internal documentation on the recommendation systems of the site formerly known as Twitter and any recent changes by February 15. The Commission also wants access to some of X's commercial APIs "that allow direct fact-finding on content moderation and virality of accounts."

In addition, the Commission has issued a retention order to X requiring it to preserve documents regarding both planned and recent changes to the site's content recommendation engines between now and the end of 2025.

The EC said the request falls within the scope of the proceedings it opened against X in December 2023 for potential violations of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This followed accusations that X was disseminating disinformation surrounding the Hamas/Israel conflict and the Commission threatened to penalize it under the DSA. That investigation has already produced a primary finding alleging that X failed to meet its responsibilities as a DSA-defined very large online platform (VLOP), particularly regarding its implementation of paid-for verification checkmarks and the subsequent issues that arose.

"Today we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X's recommender systems with the obligations under the DSA," Commission EVP for tech sovereignty, security and democracy Henna Virkkunen said in a statement. "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."

Musk has made political waves in the EU and the UK recently by meddling in local politics, most recently courting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the run-up to Germany's elections on February 23. Musk has spent time promoting the party as the only thing that can "save Germany" and even held a livestream with the AfD candidate for Chancellor, Alice Weidel, on X.

Incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz has described Musk's support for the European far-right as "completely unacceptable," while other German politicians have expressed concern that Musk could manipulate the algorithm to favor the AfD's posts.

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When asked whether the timing was related to Musk's political actions, the Commission directed us to a press briefing held earlier today.

Thomas Regnier, the Commission's spokesman handling tech matters, insisted at the briefing that Musk's political maneuvering has nothing to do with the request.

"These steps are completely independent from any political considerations or any specific events recently happening," Regnier said. "But they can help us monitor systems around all these events taking place."

When asked specifically whether the announcement had to do with Musk interfering in Germany's elections, Regnier again denied that was the case.

"I didn't speak about interference [and] I didn't even refer to the German elections," the spokesman added. "These are investigatory steps that we are taking to have access to additional information … crucial for the Commission's enforcement work to understand and analyze risk stemming from X's recommender systems."

With X facing a February 15 deadline to hand over requested information and Germany's elections looming on February 23, the Commission has little time to determine whether X's systems are being manipulated to favor Germany's far-right. If that's the case, the body could still take action.

"We will do everything we can to be sure – as with all other elections – that [Germany's] will be free and fair," Regnier said.

X didn't respond to questions for this story. ®