EU Charges X with User Deception via Blue Checkmark
The European Union online content regulators have charged Elon Musk’s social media company, X, with violating its rules, as its blue checkmark misleads users, according to an EU tech regulators’ ruling on Friday. This finding could result in substantial fines and significant operational changes.
The charges from the European Commission, the first issued under the Digital Services Act (DSA), follow a seven-month investigation. The DSA requires large online platforms and search engines to intensify efforts against illegal content and public security threats.
The EU executive’s preliminary findings accuse X of employing “dark patterns” to manipulate user behaviour, lacking transparency in advertising, and restricting data access for researchers.
X disagreed with the EU’s assessment of its DSA compliance, with Musk threatening legal action.
“We look forward to a very public battle in court so that the people of Europe can know the truth,” Musk stated on X. He also claimed that the Commission had offered X an illegal secret deal to censor speech, which the company rejected, unlike other unnamed platforms.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton responded on X, denying any secret deals and clarifying that the DSA allows platforms to offer commitments to settle cases. “Up to you to decide whether to offer commitments or not. That is how rule of law procedures work. See you (in court or not),” Breton wrote.
Also Read: EU to Charge Meta for Violation Of Digital Regulations
The Commission criticized X’s verified accounts with blue checkmarks, stating they do not adhere to industry standards and hinder users’ ability to discern account authenticity.
After Musk acquired the platform, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022, the blue checkmark’s meaning shifted from verifying public figures’ identities to indicating paid subscribers.
The Commission also charged X with failing to comply with DSA requirements to provide accessible and reliable information about advertisements.
Additionally, X allegedly blocked researchers from accessing its public data. If found guilty of breaching the DSA, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover.
“X now has the right of defence — but if our view is confirmed, we will impose fines and require significant changes,” Breton stated.
Separate investigations into illegal content dissemination and countermeasures against disinformation on X are ongoing.
Other platforms like ByteDance’s TikTok, AliExpress, and Meta are also under investigation under the DSA.
