EU Fines X €120 Million Over Deceptive Blue Ticks and Ad Transparency
EU Fines X €120 Million Over Deceptive Blue Ticks and Ad Transparency
Brussels fines X €120m under the Digital Services Act for deceptive blue ticks, ad transparency gaps, and restricting public-data access for researchers.
Brussels has fined Elon Musk's X €120 million in the first major enforcement under the European Union's Digital Services Act. The penalty targets three breaches: the platform's deceptive blue verification ticks, insufficient transparency around advertising, and restricting researchers' access to public data.
Under the DSA, platforms must publish a public list of advertisers to guard against scams and manipulation, ensure clear ad transparency, and provide researchers with access to data about political content. The ruling tightens the EU's oversight of how large tech companies operate inside the bloc.
The two-year investigation examined whether X allowed illegal content and whether its algorithms and operational changes after Musk's 2022 acquisition complied with the rules. The commission noted that non-compliance can carry fines of up to 6% of worldwide revenue, highlighting the seriousness of the action given X's estimated 2024 revenue of between $2.5-2.7 billion.
X will have to outline how it will bring the flagged measures into compliance, or risk further penalties. The decision could also influence ongoing talks and tensions with the United States over digital regulation.
Investigations into other potential breaches — including content-related enforcement and algorithmic governance — continue.
Cover image source: EU Hits Elon Musk’s X With $140 Million Fine 🔗
