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X has had its status as a signature to the Australian code of practice on disinformation and misinformation revoked following a complaint that it didn’t allow the reporting of misinformation during the Voice to parliament referendum.

DIGI, the industry association that oversees how social media platforms regulate misinformation, ruled through an independent sub-committee on Monday that X had “committed a serious breach” of the code and had not co-operated with its processes.

X, which is owned by controversial technology billionaire Elon Musk, faced widespread criticism from online safety experts and former Twitter employees in September when it quietly removed a function that allowed users to report election misinformation in posts.

Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk in conversation with British PM Rishi Sunak.Credit: AP

Reset.Tech Australia, a lobby group dedicated to countering misinformation, made a complaint to DIGI about X’s move and that complaint was upheld on Monday. Reset had described it as extremely concerning that Australians would lose the ability to report serious misinformation weeks away from a major referendum.

“The sub-committee, DIGI [and] Reset Australia gathered for a Zoom meeting on Monday, November 13. X’s relevant executive was given adequate notice to attend and had confirmed as much but withdrew less than two hours before the meeting citing ill health,” a sub-committee spokeswoman said.

“A list of questions from the sub-committee was sent to X following the November 13 meeting with a response date of November 21. No response has been received and no explanation offered for the failure to respond.

“Repeated attempts to engage with X by DIGI and Reset Australia have failed to elicit any response to the complaint. The sub-committee has had no contact with X in relation to this matter.

“On Monday, November 27 the sub-committee met with DIGI and conveyed their finding noting that X’s refusal to engage in any way with the process was disappointing and irresponsible.”

The group behind the complaint, Reset.Tech Australia, welcomed the decision but described it as a sombre occasion.

Reset Australia executive director Alice Dawkins said X removal its misinformation reporting features coincided with a rising number of falsehoods about Australia’s electoral process.

Prominent campaigners on the No side of the referendum Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Nyunggai Warren Mundine.Credit: Dan Peled

“While we are pleased that the complaints sub-committee agreed with our argument, this is a sombre occasion,” Dawkins said.

“Removal of signatory status is a last-resort measure and not something to be celebrated. It represents a breakdown in engagement. We urgently need legislation in Australia that empowers timely and impactful regulatory action when tech companies fail on their promises.”

Reset director of research and policy Dr Rys Farthing said the outcome placed Australia where Europe was in 2019, when it was broadly recognised that the voluntary disinformation code had failed.

“In came the Digital Services Act, which is now producing transparency measures Australia can only dream of. The next steps, of comprehensive legislation that pragmatically reckons with the limits of co-regulation, are abundantly clear,” Farthing said.

“X has demonstrated contempt for Australia’s systems of tech governance and indeed a total disinterest in electoral integrity. ”

X, which no longer has any Australian employees or press office, said “Busy now, please check back later,” to a request for comment.

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