LONDON (AP) — Twitter has dropped out of a voluntary European Union agreement to combat on the net disinformation, a top rated EU official stated Friday.

European Commissioner Thierry Breton tweeted that Twitter had pulled out of the EU’s disinformation “code of practice” that other key social media platforms have pledged to assistance. But he added that Twitter’s “obligation” remained, referring to the EU’s challenging new digital guidelines taking impact in August.

“You can run but you cannot hide,” Breton stated.

San Francisco-primarily based Twitter responded with an automated reply, as it does to most press inquiries, and did not comment.

The choice to abandon the commitment to fighting false information and facts seems to be the most recent move by billionaire owner Elon Musk to loosen the reins on the social media organization just after he purchased it final year. He has rolled back prior anti-misinformation guidelines, and has thrown its verification program and content material-moderation policies into chaos as he pursues his aim of turning Twitter into a digital town square.

Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Facebook and Instagram parent Meta are amongst these that have signed up to the EU code, which needs providers to measure their operate on combating disinformation and concern frequent reports on their progress.

There have been currently indicators Twitter wasn’t ready to reside up to its commitments. The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive arm, blasted Twitter earlier this year for failing to supply a complete initial report below the code, saying it supplied small particular information and facts and no targeted information.

Breton stated that below the new digital guidelines that incorporate the code of practice, fighting disinformation will come to be a “legal obligation.”

“Our teams will be prepared for enforcement,” he stated.

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