Elon Musk’s social media platform X has been fined 120 million euros ($140 million) by European Union regulators. The fine comes after X was found to have breached EU online content rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This is the first sanction issued under the landmark legislation.
The European Commission’s investigation lasted two years. It found that X violated multiple DSA requirements. These included the misleading design of its blue checkmark for verified accounts, insufficient transparency in its advertising repository, and restricted access for researchers to public data.
Henna Virkkunen, EU tech chief, stated the fine is proportionate to the violations and emphasized that the action is not censorship. She said the DSA ensures companies comply with EU digital regulations and protects consumers and democratic standards. Companies that follow the rules avoid fines.
Rival social media platform TikTok avoided a penalty by making changes to its advertising library and improving transparency. The EU stressed that enforcement applies equally to all platforms, including Meta and Chinese marketplace Temu, which have also faced DSA charges.
X now has 60 to 90 working days to take corrective measures and comply with the DSA requirements. The Commission continues investigations into X’s handling of illegal content and information manipulation, as well as TikTok’s algorithmic systems and child protection measures.
The EU’s crackdown on Big Tech aims to ensure fair competition and consumer protection, but it has drawn criticism from U.S. officials. Vice President JD Vance commented that the EU should support free speech and not penalize American companies unfairly.
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Under the DSA, fines can reach up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue. The sanction against X sends a clear message to tech companies worldwide: compliance with EU digital rules is mandatory, and regulators will enforce penalties when standards are breached.
