Time: 2024-07-14
The European Commission has issued a warning to X , indicating that it may have violated the Digital Services Act . This decision stems from X 's classification as a Very Large Online Platform , which carries more stringent obligations . The Commission 's investigation involved scrutinizing internal documents , consulting experts , and collaborating with national Digital Services Coordinators . It found that X is not complying with regulations regarding dark patterns , advertising transparency , and data accessibility.
Margrethe Vestager , the executive vice - president for a Europe fit for the digital age , expressed concerns about X 's lack of transparency and misleading practices . The company 's unconventional approach to verifying accounts with blue checkmarks has been criticized for deceiving users . Additionally , X has been accused of failing to provide a reliable advertisement repository and restricting access to public data for researchers.
Thierry Breton , the commissioner for internal market , highlighted the deceptive nature of X 's blue checks and raised issues regarding the company 's transparency in advertising and data access for researchers . The Commission has the authority to impose fines of up to 6 % of X 's global revenue if the violations are confirmed . X has the opportunity to review the investigation findings and present its defense against the allegations.
The European Commission 's oversight extends beyond X to other major online platforms like Facebook and YouTube . A formal investigation into Musk 's firm began in December 2023 , resulting in the first - ever charges under the DSA . The EU found that X 's blue checks misled users and were abused by malicious actors , allowing fraudulent activities such as impersonating public figures like Hillary Clinton and J.K. Rowling.
In addition to the blue checks issue , the Commission noted X 's failure to maintain a searchable advertisement repository and restrict access to public data for researchers . X will have the chance to defend itself against the charges and propose solutions to address the EU 's concerns . The Commission is also investigating whether X complied with regulations related to illegal content dissemination and the prevention of disinformation.
Overall , the European Commission 's actions under the DSA reflect a broader effort to ensure transparency and accountability among online platforms , with X and other tech giants facing scrutiny for potential breaches of EU legislation.