Antisemitic Conspiracies and Epstein Claims Reach Millions on X as EU's DSA Enforcement Lags Behind

Conspiracy theories linking Judaism to ancient cults, antisemitic tropes about global elites, and sensationalised Epstein document claims are reaching millions of users on X with almost no platform intervention. The European Commission fined X 120 million euros under the Digital Services Act in December 2025 for transparency failures, but the viral spread of debunked narratives across Middle East discourse suggests enforcement has barely scratched the surface.

Millions of Views, Zero Accountability

Candace Owens, who commands an audience of 7.5 million followers on X, has been posting debunked claims about the origins of the Star of David, linking it to Canaanite cults and Baal worship. One post accumulated 1.6 million views and over 28,000 engagements.

The claims have been directly refuted by religious scholars and historians. The Jewish Post and News and Canary Mission have published detailed fact-checks documenting the pattern of antisemitic conspiracy theories promoted by Owens.

A separate post from Owens, which received over 2 million views and 106,000 likes, described global leaders as "satanic pedophiles who work for Israel" and referenced "the synagogue of Satan." The Jerusalem Post has documented this recurring pattern, which includes claims that Stalin was Jewish and that Kabbalists are involved in child abuse.

Reply sentiment analysis shows roughly 55% of responses to the Star of David post were supportive or credulous, with only about 25% offering critical pushback. One user noted Owens was "on step 67 of 1200 to truth," while another simply wrote that connecting unrelated historical dots does not constitute research. The remaining 20% of replies added further conspiracy layers, including claims that ISIS is an Israeli intelligence operation.

Epstein Files Fuel a Parallel Narrative

Alongside the antisemitic conspiracy content, accounts focused on Middle East affairs have been amplifying claims from recently released Epstein documents. The @A_M_R_M1 account, which brands itself as "The Middle East" and has 189,000 followers, posted that Epstein document leaks revealed Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met Epstein on his private island. The post drew over 28,000 engagements.

According to Middle East Monitor, leaked files do reference connections between Epstein and figures in the UAE, though the full context remains under investigation. Al Jazeera has reported on the broader scrutiny facing public figures named in the files.

The same account posted a more sensational claim about Epstein that drew 35,000 engagements. Reply analysis found approximately 90% of responses accepted the claim without question. Openly antisemitic replies received hundreds of likes. One user wrote that "reality is so much more antisemitic than I believed myself capable of being," while others added religious conspiracy layers.

The pattern extends to geopolitical narrative-building. @VividProwess, an account with 500,000 followers, posted that "a free Iran will be Israel's greatest ally in the Middle East," drawing 16,000 engagements. The Brookings Institution has documented how social media platforms have become primary battlegrounds for shaping Middle East geopolitical narratives, often blending legitimate analysis with propaganda.

The DSA: Right Framework, Weak Execution

The European Commission's Digital Services Act was designed precisely for this kind of platform failure. The 120 million euro fine against X targeted transparency shortcomings, not content moderation directly. As TechPolicy.Press noted, Europe fined X but is still avoiding the real threat to democracy: the algorithmic amplification of conspiracy content that reaches millions before any fact-checker can respond.

The EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation has been formally integrated into the DSA enforcement framework, and enforcement is expected to tighten in 2026. European Parliament member Marcel Kolaja said DSA enforcement is "of utmost importance for protecting fundamental rights."

This comes as American tech companies are already adjusting to Brussels' regulatory pressure. But fines alone have not slowed the viral spread of conspiracy content. Similar patterns have surfaced in debunked migrant attack videos, fabricated corruption claims about Ukraine aid, and Epstein-related censorship on TikTok.

A Federal Regulator Would Change the Equation

The DSA is the most serious attempt by any jurisdiction to hold platforms accountable for systemic failures. But it is enforced by a Commission that must negotiate between 27 national governments, each with different political sensitivities around content regulation and free speech.

A European Federation with a proper federal regulator, accountable to a directly elected parliament, could act faster and with more democratic legitimacy. Instead of the current system where enforcement depends on slow Commission proceedings and member state cooperation, a federal digital authority could impose real-time algorithmic transparency requirements and compel platforms to surface fact-checks alongside viral conspiracy content.

The CSIS and Wilson Center have both documented how disinformation in Middle East discourse exploits the gap between the speed of viral content and the pace of institutional response. That gap will not close through fines issued months after the damage is done. It requires a governing structure capable of matching the speed of the platforms it regulates.

What Comes Next

The Commission is expected to open further DSA proceedings against major platforms in 2026. The Epstein document releases will continue to generate viral content, and the US military buildup near Iran will further intensify online Middle East discourse. Whether the DSA framework can keep pace with the scale and speed of conspiracy amplification on X will be the defining test of European digital governance this year.