The Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has been ordered by a Berlin regional court to provide data to civil society organizations, following a lawsuit brought by the German Society for Civil Rights (GFF) and Democracy Reporting International (DRI). The ruling comes amid concerns over election interference in Germany, where federal elections are due to take place later this month.

The lawsuit was brought under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which obliges major social media platforms like X to facilitate public interest researchers' access to support the study of systemic risks, including those to elections and democratic processes. However, X had been blocking civil society access to platform data, according to the GFF and DRI.

The court's ruling orders X to immediately provide the organizations with data, including publicly accessible information such as the reach or number of likes and shares of posts. This data will be used to study the influence of social media platforms on the upcoming Bundestag election and to increase transparency regarding potential manipulations before the vote.

The GFF and DRI had accused X of preventing research into potential election interference, with the platform refusing to provide data that other platforms have made available. "We see it as our right under the Digital Services Act to access data and strengthen the public good by showing how political campaigns evolve on social media platforms," said Michael Meyer-Resende, executive director of DRI.

The ruling is significant, given that X is already under investigation by the European Commission over suspected breaches of the DSA. The Commission opened a wide-ranging probe in December 2023, following preliminary grievances in July, including suspicions that X has failed to facilitate access to data for researchers as the DSA obliges it to.

If found guilty, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, or even an order to block access to the platform in the region. The lawsuit brought by the GFF and DRI also raises questions about the jurisdiction of such cases, with the organizations seeking to clarify whether they can be brought to German courts or whether researchers need to go to Ireland, where X's regional headquarters is established.

In a separate development, Paris prosecutors have opened their own probe of X, over alleged algorithmic bias, following a complaint by Eric Bothorel, a member of the French parliament. This adds to the growing legal pressure on X, which has been accused of failing to address concerns over election interference and disinformation on its platform.

The ruling has broader implications for the tech industry, highlighting the need for social media platforms to prioritize transparency and accountability in the face of growing concerns over election interference and disinformation. As the EU continues to grapple with the challenges posed by social media, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of regulating these platforms to protect democratic processes.