Elon Musk’s platform X has been fined €120 million (around $140 million) after the European Commission ruled that the company violated several transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The decision follows a two-year investigation and marks the Commission’s first formal non-compliance action under the law, which governs how major online platforms operate across the bloc.
Blue checkmark, ads repository and data access flagged
Regulators identified three key areas where X fell short. The Commission said the platform’s redesigned blue checkmark system amounted to a “deceptive design,” potentially misleading users about authenticity. It also found that X failed to maintain a fully transparent advertising repository, limiting visibility into political and commercial ads. Additionally, the company did not provide sufficient access to public data for researchers, a requirement intended to support academic analysis of online information flows.
Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said these failures undermine user rights and accountability. She added that transparency around ads and data access is essential for safeguarding public debate across the EU.
Musk responds sharply on X
While X has not issued a formal statement, Musk reacted directly on his own platform. Replying to an EU post about the ruling, he wrote simply: “Bull––.” Over recent months, Musk has repeatedly criticised the bloc’s digital regulations, suggesting they hinder free expression and innovation. His latest response indicates that the battle over platform governance is far from over.
Supporters of X circulated viral posts shortly after the ruling, claiming the platform has become the top news app in multiple European countries. Musk amplified some of these posts, portraying the Commission’s move as an attempt to restrict open information sharing online.
What X must do next
Under the ruling, X now has 60 days to explain how it will address concerns around the blue checkmark system. It must also provide a plan within 90 days to fix transparency shortcomings in its ad repository and restore researcher access to public data. Failure to comply could result in additional periodic penalties.
The decision comes a day after the EU opened a separate inquiry into Meta over potential antitrust concerns related to AI providers’ access to WhatsApp data. The ruling against X underscores the bloc’s escalating push to enforce digital governance rules on major U.S. tech companies.
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