The Twitter application is seen on a digital device April 25, 2022, in San Diego. (PHOTO / AP)

BERLIN - Germany's federal office of justice has started proceedings to fine Twitter, accusing the social media company of mishandling user complaints over "illegal" content, a statement said on Tuesday.

Several instances of content published on Twitter were reported to the office, "which the authority considers illegal and, despite user complaints, was not deleted or blocked by the provider within the legally stipulated periods," the statement said.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The German authority did not specify which examples of illegal content it was referring to, or the size of a possible fine. It said it had now given Twitter the chance to respond to the allegations before deciding whether to refer the matter to a district court in Bonn.

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Twitter has come under scrutiny from Berlin especially since the takeover by billionaire Elon Musk. In December, a senior German official called for the company to be put under direct supervision of the European Commission.