Arcom wants to make sure Twitter doesn't go adrift.
The French audiovisual regulator reminded Twitter on Monday of its "obligations" in the fight against disinformation and hateful content, expressing its "deep concern" after the haemorrhage of departures affecting the social network since its takeover by Elon Musk , in a letter addressed to the European headquarters of Twitter.
Twitter had stated, in a questionnaire published by the CSA (predecessor of Arcom) last year, to employ 1,867 people dedicated to "the application of (its) policies and the moderation of content", i.e. "more than 'one-third' of its 'global workforce'.
But the president of the French audiovisual regulator, Roch-Olivier Maistre, recalls that Twitter decided in early November to part with half of its employees, "i.e. 3,700 people", and "about 75%" of its service providers.
In this context, Arcom questions "Twitter's ability to maintain a safe environment" for its users.
Read also#RIPTwitter: Can Twitter really collapse?
The social network, which had 5.6 million unique visitors per day in France in September, according to Médiametrie, must in particular "fight against the manipulation of information" under a dedicated law.
Adopted at the end of 2018, this provides that the web giants set up reporting systems and report on their efforts to Arcom, which can send them recommendations.
A response by November 24
Twitter is also "subject to all obligations of means" to fight against hateful content, provided for by law for confidence in the digital economy.
If he cannot sanction the platform, the regulator is responsible for ensuring the proper application of these obligations.
Arcom thus asks the social network, by "November 24 at the latest", to "confirm" that it is "able" to deal with it and "to inform it of the evolution to short term of the human and technological resources" devoted to it.
The regulator warns that it wants to "more broadly ensure" Twitter's involvement "in the implementation" of the European law on digital services (DSA), which is far more restrictive.
This historic regulation, which Twitter will have to apply around the summer of 2023, authorizes the European Commission to impose fines on platforms of up to 6% of their global turnover, or even a ban on operating in the EU in the event of repeated serious violations.
