EU fines Musk's X $140M for violating online content rules
What's the story
Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has been slapped with a €120 million ($140 million) fine by European Union (EU) tech regulators. The penalty is the first under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), a landmark legislation aimed at ensuring that online platforms take stronger action against illegal and harmful content. TikTok, a rival platform, managed to escape a similar penalty by making certain concessions.
Criticism
US government criticizes EU's actions against big tech
The EU's crackdown on major tech companies to level the playing field for smaller competitors and give consumers more choices has drawn criticism from the administration of US President Donald Trump. The administration claims that these actions specifically target American companies and censor Americans. However, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, has maintained that its laws do not discriminate by nationality but are meant to uphold digital and democratic standards globally.
Investigation details
EU's investigation into X lasted 2 years
The fine imposed on X comes after a two-year-long investigation under the DSA. The probe found that X had breached several DSA obligations, including misleading design of its blue checkmark for verified accounts, lack of transparency in its advertising repository, and failure to give researchers access to public data. The European Commission's tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the fine was proportionate and calculated based on the nature and severity of these violations.
Clarification
Virkkunen clarifies DSA's stance on censorship
Virkkunen also emphasized that the DSA has nothing to do with censorship. She said, "We are not here to impose the highest fines. We are here to make sure that our digital legislation is enforced and if you comply with our rules, you don't get the fine." Ahead of the EU's decision, US Vice President JD Vance criticized the potential fine on X. He wrote on X, "The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage."