The European Union has imposed a €120 million (£105 million) fine on Elon Musk after ruling that the blue tick verification system on X (formerly Twitter) misleads users and fails to meaningfully verify account ownership. The decision marks the EU’s first major enforcement action under the Digital Services Act (DSA) against a global social media platform.
EU Says Paid Blue Ticks Mislead Users and Enable Scams
According to the European Commission, X’s paid verification model deceives the public by allowing any user to buy a blue tick without proper identity checks. Regulators warned that this system exposes EU citizens to a higher risk of impersonation, fraud, and large-scale scams carried out by fake or misleading accounts.
Officials further stated that the platform has failed to ensure transparency in its advertising practices, while also restricting researchers’ access to essential public data—both clear violations of the DSA.
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, stressed that X must be held accountable for undermining user rights and online safety. The fine, she said, reflects the severity and long-term impact of the violations on millions of EU users.
Musk Criticised and Ordered to Comply with EU Law
The penalty also triggered political reactions. US Vice President JD Vance condemned the EU’s move, arguing that officials were punishing X for refusing to engage in censorship. He insisted that regulators should defend free speech rather than targeting American tech companies.
Meanwhile, the EU confirmed that X must now submit a detailed compliance plan outlining how it will align with European digital safety laws. Failure to comply could lead to additional penalties and stronger regulatory action.
This development underscores the rising global scrutiny of major tech platforms, as governments push for stricter accountability on misinformation, user protection, and digital transparency.
