The European Union announced on Friday that it has filed charges against X, previously known as Twitter, citing violations of the bloc’s new social media regulations. This marks the first instance of legal action against a tech company under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to enhance transparency and accountability for online platforms operating within the 27-nation bloc.
According to the European Commission, X’s practices regarding its blue verification checkmarks are deemed deceptive and fall short of transparency requirements. The commission criticized these checks as “dark patterns” that do not align with industry standards and can mislead users, potentially exploited by malicious actors.
Before Elon Musk acquired X in 2022, blue checkmarks were typically reserved for verified accounts of celebrities and public figures. Post-acquisition, X began offering these verifications for a subscription fee of $8 per month, a move criticized for undermining user trust and clarity regarding account authenticity and content credibility.
European Commissioner Thierry Breton expressed concern over the evolution of these verification badges, noting that they were once seen as indicators of trustworthy information sources. The commission’s preliminary investigation found that under X’s ownership, these badges contribute to user deception and violate DSA guidelines.
Additionally, the commission charged X with failing to comply with ad transparency rules mandated by the DSA. Platforms are required to maintain searchable databases of all digital advertisements, including details on sponsors and intended audiences. However, X’s ad database was found inadequate, lacking reliability and accessibility features necessary for transparency and research purposes.
Moreover, the commission criticized X for limiting access to public data, hindering researchers from independently studying platform operations and identifying online risks. The DSA mandates such access to ensure comprehensive scrutiny of platform activities and evolving online threats.
X now has the opportunity to respond to these charges and implement necessary changes to achieve compliance with the DSA. Failure to do so could result in penalties amounting to up to 6% of the company’s annual global revenue, along with enforceable corrective measures.
The investigation remains ongoing, with regulators also examining X’s efforts to combat illegal content dissemination and information manipulation through its platform, including its Community Notes fact-checking feature. Similar investigations are underway involving TikTok, AliExpress, and Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, highlighting broader regulatory scrutiny within the EU’s digital landscape.