Tech rules clash: EU slaps €120 million fine on Elon Musk’s X; says platform misled users and blocked researchers
The European Commission announced the penalty after completing an investigation it launched two years ago into X — formerly Twitter — under the 27-nation bloc’s sweeping digital rulebook, which mandates that large platforms take greater responsibility for protecting users and policing harmful or illegal content.The decision is likely to escalate tensions with US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has criticised Brussels’ regulatory push and warned it may retaliate if American tech companies face punitive action.X did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment.
According to the Commission, the company committed three separate breaches of the DSA’s transparency rules.
Regulators said X’s paid verification badges broke the law due to a “deceptive design” that risks exposing users to scams and manipulation.
The platform also failed to meet transparency norms for its ad repository.Under the DSA, platforms must maintain a publicly accessible database of all advertisements carried on their services, including information on who paid for the ads and their intended audience.
The Commission said X’s database is weakened by structural design flaws and access barriers, including “excessive delays in processing”.Regulators further accused X of creating “unnecessary barriers” for independent researchers seeking access to platform data.“Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU.
The DSA protects users,” said Henna Virkunnen, the EU’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy.
