TOKYO – Social media platform X’s requirement for non-users to become members of the service in order to request the deletion of harmful posts targeting them potentially violates rules in Japan against imposing “excessive” burdens on online victims, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
X, formerly Twitter, is one of nine platform operators designated in Japan that are required by law to set up arrangements for victims of malicious online posts to demand their removal. These operators must promptly review and respond to such requests.
The revelation came amid criticism that X has not adequately informed the public about how to submit deletion requests, calling into question the company’s commitment to taking effective measures to help victims of online bullying and defamation, as required by legislation that took effect in April, according to experts.
According to the law, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has urged operators to treat non-users the same as users when they request content removal. However, X and another operator have not followed these guidelines.
Other designated operators, including those of YouTube and the messaging app Line, have established mechanisms for responding to removal requests.
“We will assess the situation in a comprehensive manner and decide whether excessive burdens are being imposed on victims,” a communications ministry official said.
As of Wednesday, the operators of X and bakusai.com, an anonymous online bulletin board, had not responded to inquiries by Kyodo News.
Etsuko Masuda, a member of the ministry panel addressing the issue, said the government and platform operators need to make more efforts to disseminate information about the mechanisms.
She said that if such information were more widely recognized, it would help deter potential perpetrators.
AloJapan.com