x data — x data — A German appeals court has ordered social media platform X to grant vetted researchers access to publicly available data associated with Hungary’s April 12 election, marking a significant step towards enforcing EU digital transparency regulations.
- X did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters concerning the ruling.
- Joschka Selinger, a lawyer representing GFF, noted that there is no option to appeal the decision. If X fails to comply, the ruling can be enforced through penalty payments.
- Previous elections in Hungary have been marred by allegations of media bias and widespread disinformation, making this ruling particularly relevant as the country approaches a pivotal election.
The Berlin Court of Appeal’s ruling mandates that Elon Musk’s X must share vital information regarding the reach and engagement of posts connected to Hungary’s parliamentary election. This decision was confirmed by Democracy Reporting International (DRI), one of the two plaintiffs involved in this case, late on Tuesday.
The ruling takes immediate effect, according to a spokesperson from the court, and is seen as a landmark moment in the implementation of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). This regulation requires major online platforms to provide researchers with access to data for monitoring various risks, including disinformation, hate speech, and election manipulation.
X did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters concerning the ruling.
X data: Legal Precedent for Researchers
The plaintiffs, DRI and the Society for Civil Rights (GFF), previously attempted to obtain similar data from X for Germany’s upcoming 2025 federal election but were unsuccessful. A lower court had determined that the jurisdiction for such matters lay in Ireland, where X maintains its EU headquarters.
However, the Berlin appeals court reviewed the case and concluded that German courts could indeed intervene when local researchers were denied essential data for public-interest research. The court ruled in favour of the two NGOs, stating that X’s noncompliance hindered their ability to conduct research within Germany.
Joschka Selinger, a lawyer representing GFF, noted that there is no option to appeal the decision. If X fails to comply, the ruling can be enforced through penalty payments.
Hungary’s Election Context
The order comes at a crucial moment for Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban faces the most significant challenge to his authority since his Fidesz party came to power in 2010. The centre-right opposition Tisza party is currently leading in most opinion polls, although pro-government pollsters still claim Fidesz is in the lead, leaving many voters undecided.
Previous elections in Hungary have been marred by allegations of media bias and widespread disinformation, making this ruling particularly relevant as the country approaches a pivotal election.
DRI argues that the court order will help lower barriers for civil society groups throughout Europe seeking to assert their digital rights through national courts. Observers believe the ruling sends a clear message to major platforms operating under the DSA: failure to facilitate researcher access could result in legal repercussions in EU member states.
