Overview
- EU regulators found X violated transparency rules through a deceptive paid blue checkmark, insufficient ad library disclosure, and restricted researcher access to public data.
- The penalty totals €120 million, allocated as €45 million for the checkmark design, €35 million for advertising transparency failures, and €40 million for blocking researcher data access.
- X has 60 working days to outline changes to its verification system and 90 working days to address advertising and research-data requirements, with the option to appeal.
- Officials called the fine proportionate under the DSA, which permits penalties up to 6% of global turnover, and noted TikTok avoided a fine after agreeing to ad-transparency changes.
- U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized the action as censorship, Musk thanked him on X, and the Commission stressed the decision concerns transparency as other X probes continue.