X is under EU scrutiny for its online content regulation and could face a fine amounting to 6% of its annual turnover. The EU Commission has found X, formerly known as Twitter, in violation of its online content regulations, potentially leading to a substantial fine and operational changes for the platform.
Following a seven-month investigation, X was found to be in breach of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates significant online entities to mitigate illegal content and enhance online safety.
The investigation highlighted issues with some of X’s policies, including transparency around advertisements and researchers’ access to data.
Specifically, the EU criticized X’s verified user policy, which grants a blue checkmark to indicate verification. Under Elon Musk’s leadership, this blue tick mark became a paid subscription, raising concerns about how individuals verify themselves as experts, spokespeople, and public figures.
As a large platform under the DSA, X is required to provide the EU with a directory of advertisements on their platform—something it failed to do.
Additionally, the EU noted that researchers were blocked from accessing X’s public data, violating DSA requirements.
Thierry Breton, EU industry chief, stated, “X has now the right of defense – but if our view is confirmed, we will impose fines and require significant changes.”
If X is still found guilty after presenting its defense, it could face a fine of 6% of its global turnover.
X is not the only company under investigation for DSA breaches—TikTok, Meta, and AliExpress are also facing their own inquiries.