Official announcements from the European Commission

EU Finds Elon Musk's X in Breach of Digital Services Act, Faces 6% Revenue Fine Over Blue Checkmarks

Jul 12, 2024, 05:15 PM

The European Commission has issued a preliminary finding that Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission's investigation, which lasted seven months, concluded that X's paid blue checkmark system deceives users by implying verification without actual verification, constitutes dark patterns, fails to provide advertising transparency, and blocks data access for researchers. The Commission has warned that X could face fines of up to 6% of its global revenue if these breaches are confirmed. Additionally, the blue checkmarks can be used by malicious actors to deceive users. Elon Musk has responded by accusing the EU of offering a secret deal to avoid fines in exchange for censorship, a claim the EU denies. The Commission maintains that X has the right to defend itself before any final decision is made.