This ruling follows an urgent procedure initiated by two German privacy organizations, Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte (GFF) and Democracy Reporting International (DRI).
The court in Berlin emphasized that immediate access to this data is crucial for the research projects. X had not responded to an earlier request for information and cooperation. The ruling obliges X to provide data such as the reach of posts, the number of shared posts, and the number of likes from now until shortly after the elections.
GFF and DRI argued that X, contrary to European law, does not provide systematic access to data such as the reach of posts and the number of likes and shares. Other platforms had granted this access, but X refused, leading to the legal action.
This case is one of the first major legal tests of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Musk’s refusal also raises new questions about X’s compliance with European regulations. The ruling is viewed as an important victory for research freedom and democracy.
The DSA, which came fully into effect in 2024, requires large online platforms to be transparent about their information dissemination and the operation of their algorithms. This means platforms like X must adhere to strict reporting requirements and cooperate with regulators and researchers to effectively combat disinformation.
While other social media companies such as Meta and TikTok have already complied with the obligations under the DSA, X has repeatedly opposed these rules. The platform has previously imposed restrictions on external researchers and nonprofit organizations, leading to mounting criticism from the EU.
X has not yet responded publicly to the ruling. It remains unclear whether the company will take legal steps to challenge the decision. For now, the ruling means that X is required to preserve and make available all relevant data on election-related disinformation for research, at least until several days after the elections.