Elon Musk’s social media company X faces charges from the European Union for breaching online content rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA). Following a seven-month investigation, the European Commission issued its first charges under the DSA, accusing X of using dark patterns to influence user behaviour, lacking transparency in advertising and restricting researchers’ access to public data.
The Commission also criticised X’s blue checkmark verification process, which Musk altered from indicating verified public figures to denoting paid subscribers, for misleading users about account authenticity.
In response to the charges, Musk expressed disagreement with the EU’s assessment and threatened to litigate. He suggested that the EU had proposed a secret deal to censor speech, which X declined, unlike other unnamed platforms.
EU industry chief Thierry Breton refuted Musk’s claims, stressing that no secret deals exist and that the DSA allows platforms to offer commitments to settle cases. Breton welcomed the prospect of a court battle, asserting the transparency and legality of the DSA procedures.
The Commission highlighted that X’s failure to comply with DSA requirements includes not providing searchable and reliable information about advertisements in an accessible library. Additionally, X’s actions have impeded researchers’ ability to access public data, further violating DSA regulations. If found guilty, X could face fines up to 6 per cent of its global turnover and be mandated to implement significant operational changes.
The investigation into X is part of a broader effort to ensure compliance with the DSA, which requires large online platforms and search engines to address illegal content and public security risks proactively. The Commission also continues separate inquiries into the dissemination of illegal content and measures to counter disinformation on X. Other major platforms, including ByteDance’s TikTok, AliExpress and Meta Platforms, are also under investigation for potential DSA violations.
