Elon Musk’s Social Network X Fined €120 Million for Violating EU Digital Law
The European Union has fined the social network X (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk, €120 million. The reason for this was a series of violations of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which regulates online content moderation and the transparency of internet platforms.
This is reported by AgroReview
The European Commission Identified Violations by X
The European Commission concluded that the X platform misled users with its paid blue checkmark, restricted analysts’ access to data, and failed to properly store advertising information. This served as the basis for the first fine in history under the DSA.
“The European Commission concluded that the paid blue checkmark symbol on X misled users, the platform obstructed analysts’ access to data, and failed to properly organize advertising storage.”
According to EU requirements, X has 60 days to develop a solution to address the identified issues and 90 days to implement the necessary changes. Failure to comply with these conditions could result in additional financial penalties for the social network.
Sanctions and Political Context
Despite the significant size of the fine, it represents only a small fraction of Musk’s wealth, estimated at $467 billion. The EU considered the possibility of extending measures to other Musk enterprises but has currently limited itself to the X platform.
The fine was imposed amid rising tensions between Brussels and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the EU’s actions against American tech companies, particularly for hefty fines and attempts to tighten regulation. This decision further highlighted the discrepancies between the EU and the U.S. regarding free speech and digital technologies.
Elon Musk, who supports Trump’s political campaign and has been an advisor to the U.S. president, disagrees with the European Commission’s decision and plans to challenge the fine in court. This could prolong the process of paying the fine for several years.
The Digital Services Act, which has been in effect since 2023, allows the EU to impose fines on online platforms of up to 6% of their annual global revenue for failing to meet requirements regarding illegal content and transparency.
In addition to X, the European Union is investigating other major American companies – Apple, Google (Alphabet Inc.), and Meta Platforms Inc. Apple and Meta have already received fines of €500 million and €200 million, respectively. The EU has also fined Google over $8 billion and required Apple to pay Ireland €13 billion in taxes for violating competition laws.
The European Commission continues to investigate potential DSA violations by X, particularly regarding the control of illegal content, election misinformation, and the use of community notes. Final conclusions on these matters have not yet been reached, so the platform may face additional fines in the future.