EU Commission talking to X about Grok's antisemitic comments
In a series of posts on Tuesday, Grok said it was 'sceptical' that the Nazi regime killed six million Jews during the Holocaust, incorrectly stating that there is no 'primary evidence' and saying 'numbers can be manipulated for political narratives'.
As a result, the Polish Digital Minister wrote to EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen asking for an investigation into the platform, under the bloc's online platform rules, the Digital Services Act (DSA), national media reported.
Thomas Regnier, the Commission's spokesperson on digital, confirmed that the EU executive had received the Polish letter and added that a response will follow 'in due course'.
'Grok is integrated into X, which is already designated as a Very Large Online Platform under the DSA, X has the obligation to assess the risks it poses, including Grok,' Regnier said.
'We take this seriously; we will make sure the DSA is followed. I can confirm that we are in touch with the national authorities and X itself,' he added.
Grok previously showed "significant flaws and limitations" when verifying information about the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran (June 13-24), Researchers at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab said in June.
Under the DSA, the Commission can send information requests to the platform or start a formal investigation.
The EU executive already opened an investigation into X in December 2023 - for allowing dark patterns and failing to curb the spread of illegal content – the probe has not been wrapped up yet.
DSA fines may total up to 6% of the company's annual global revenue, but if Musk is held liable personally, the Commission would also account for the revenues of companies such as Space Exploration Technologies and Neuralink. There is no clarity yet on whether this will be the case.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
9 hours ago
- Euronews
Should the European Union hold talks with Khalifa Haftar?
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner and three ministers from EU countries were expelled from Libya on Tuesday due to a "protocol problem", according to Brussels. Sources told Euronews the issue arose after they wanted to meet General Khalifa Haftar, who controls large parts of eastern Libya. Following a meeting with the Libyan government of national unity (GNU) in Tripoli, the European delegation was scheduled to meet with Haftar in Benghazi to discuss migration. However, Haftar apparently tried to force the EU's hand by imposing the presence of his ministers, which then led to the expulsion of European officials as "personae no gratae". "It was simply a ruse on Haftar's part to try and legitimise his government and the civilian face of his military dictatorship", says Tarek Megerisi, senior researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). "He declared European diplomats personae non gratae and essentially sent them back to Europe because he was unable to use them for this political charade he was trying to pull off," he believes. A divided country After the civil war and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya eventually became divided into two. In the west of the country, the UN-recognised government of national unity is led by Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah. The east is controlled by Haftar, head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army. And Brussels formally recognises only the government in Tripoli. "The European Union is working with the government of national unity, which emerged from the United Nations mediation process as an internationally recognised national executive. The UN is engaging with the authorities throughout the country in line with our One Libya policy", said Anouar El Anouni, European Commission spokesman for foreign affairs. However, faced with the absence of centralised governance, territorial division and the challenge of migration, the EU is also engaging with non-state actors. "At a lower level, the EU is also interacting with militia leaders and groups running detention centres. At the level of member states and some EU representation, they engage with the Haftar family as the de facto rulers of eastern Libya, for what they claim is political realism," says Tarek Megerisi. The European Union is cooperating with Libya to combat illegal immigration and smuggling networks. "The EU has been working, both the EU and the member states, particularly Italy, with the Libyan coastguard in the west to try and reduce migratory flows in one way or another," James Moran, former EU ambassador to Libya and associate researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), told Euronews. "The EU has also supported Libyan efforts to take back migrants once they are back on Libyan soil. This, of course, has been controversial because there have been a lot of questions about human rights, about the treatment they receive when they are in Libya," he adds. The NGO Amnesty International has accused Brussels of complicity in human rights violations against migrants in Libya. A Russian proxy In recent years, crossings to Europe from eastern Libya have been on the increase. "Migration concerns are well known throughout Europe. And since (Haftar) controls such a large part of Libya's coastline, I think it was logical to talk to him," Moran said. "What wouldn't have made sense would have been to give him any kind of recognition, de facto or otherwise," he explained. However, questions remain about the EU's need to meet Haftar, whose links to Moscow and President Vladimir Putin are well-established. "We are in the process of strengthening a Russian proxy that is antagonistic to European interests. And so, once all the mess of the current crisis is sorted out, it's pretty clear that what Europe really needs in Libya is a stable and sovereign government," Megerisi told Euronews. In fact, the Haftar family is exploiting migration to try to obtain concessions from the EU, according to Megerisi. In recent days, the Greek islands have seen a large influx of migrants from Libya, prompting the EU member state to suspend asylum applications from the North African country.
Fashion Network
10 hours ago
- Fashion Network
Zalando takes majority stake in About You, targets 8% EBIT margin
Zalando and About You, two of Europe's leading online fashion platforms, have officially merged in a strategic move to unite their B2C and B2B strengths. While combining forces to accelerate growth across the region, both companies will retain distinct brand identities. Zalando will unveil the first outlook for the newly formed group on August 6, alongside its second-quarter earnings for fiscal year 2025. The European Commission approved the deal on July 1, including Zalando's voluntary public takeover offer to About You shareholders. Zalando has now acquired 91.45% of the former Otto Group subsidiary's share capital. As a next step, Zalando intends to initiate a squeeze-out of remaining minority shareholders, offering them fair cash compensation. The squeeze-out will occur through a merger between About You and a wholly owned Zalando subsidiary. Since announcing the planned merger on December 11, 2024, both companies say they've been preparing for this next phase—developing concrete plans to ensure a smooth transition post-merger. 'Zalando and About You both started as local startups and have grown into European success stories,' said Robert Gentz, Zalando's co-CEO and co-founder. 'We share a deep focus on quality, innovation, and staying close to our customers. Together, we'll be a powerhouse shaping the future of fashion and lifestyle e-commerce in Europe.' On the B2C side, the group plans to deliver differentiated and engaging shopping experiences for both customers and brands. In B2B, the integration of About You's payment solution Scayle complements Zalando's vision of building a full-scale operating system for the fashion and lifestyle sector. 'By combining our complementary logistics and software tools—Zeos, Tradebyte, and Scayle—we're creating an even more robust e-commerce operating system,' the companies stated. 'This will allow brands and retailers to efficiently manage multichannel businesses across Europe and beyond.' 'At the heart of this partnership is our shared mission to redefine how people shop for fashion and lifestyle products—and to bring real value to our customers and partners,' said Tarek Müller, co-CEO and co-founder of About You. Gentz added, 'This strategic transaction unlocks major collaborative opportunities while allowing About You to retain its identity and entrepreneurial energy.' Back in December 2024, Zalando reaffirmed its mid-term outlook for the combined group. By 2028, the company expects compound annual growth of 5 to 10 percent in both gross merchandise volume (GMV) and revenue. The merged entity is also targeting an adjusted EBIT margin of 6 to 8 percent—representing a significant boost in absolute earnings. Together, the companies aim to capture a larger share of Europe's €450 billion fashion and lifestyle market. This article is an automatic translation. Click here to read the original article.
France 24
10 hours ago
- France 24
Nobel worthy Trump? Putin's 'Bullsh*t', Emmanuel, Keir & the King
Europe 47:22 It's been a grim, record-breaking week for Ukraine, with Russia unleashing an unprecedented wave of missiles and drones, including decoys to overwhelm air defences. Amid the chaos, Trump seemed equally thrown—confused by Putin, then reversing course to reinstate military aid to Kyiv after pausing it just last week. Washington is now dangling sanctions as the carrot turns to stick in ceasefire efforts. Meanwhile, it's been pageantry over politics as the Macrons embarked on a three-day state visit to the UK. Kicking off with cocktails at Windsor Castle—'The Entente', a symbolic mix of British gin and French pastis—the visit marked a reset in post-Brexit ties. There were toasts with the King and Keir, a nuclear cooperation deal, and a plan to stop migrant crossings. Macron couldn't resist a little 'I told you so' on Brexit. And in tech: Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok sparked outrage after it began imitating Hitler and promoting anti-Semitic views. Just days after Musk hailed its progress, Grok called itself 'MechaHitler.' Musk blamed manipulation and removed the posts. The fallout continued with the sudden resignation of X CEO Linda Yaccarino—met with a cold, two-line farewell.
