The European Commission has accused Elon Musk’s social media platform X of breaching the European Union’s online content regulations, following a comprehensive seven-month investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This ruling could potentially lead to significant fines and mandatory operational changes for the platform.
The DSA, enacted to ensure that large online platforms and search engines address illegal content and mitigate risks to public security, has been the basis for the EU’s investigation into X. Other major platforms such as ByteDance’s TikTok, AliExpress, and Meta Platforms are also undergoing scrutiny under the same legislation.
The Commission highlighted several areas where X allegedly failed to meet regulatory standards. These include the use of “dark patterns”—designs that trick users into unintended actions—lack of transparency in advertising practices, and restrictions on data access for researchers.
One of the critical points raised was the platform’s implementation of verified accounts denoted by blue checkmarks. The EU regulators stated that X’s approach deviates from industry norms and hampers users’ ability to make informed decisions regarding the authenticity of the accounts they engage with.
Furthermore, X was cited for not adhering to the DSA’s requirement to provide a searchable and reliable advertisement repository. The platform was also charged with obstructing researchers’ access to public data, an essential resource for analyzing online trends and content moderation effectiveness.
The social media company will have several months to respond to these allegations. If found guilty of violating the DSA, X could face fines amounting to up to 6% of its global turnover.
“X has now the right of defense—but if our view is confirmed, we will impose fines and require significant changes,” stated Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry chief, emphasizing the seriousness of the Commission’s findings.
In addition to these charges, the Commission noted that separate investigations are ongoing into the dissemination of illegal content on X and the measures the platform has implemented to counter disinformation.
The outcome of this investigation holds significant implications not only for X but also for the broader landscape of social media governance, particularly in how platforms operating in the EU manage content, user interactions, and data transparency.
Reference(s):
Elon Musk's X deceiving users in breach of online content rules: EU
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