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EU Fines X €120 Million in First Digital Services Act Non-Compliance Ruling

The decision sets strict remedy deadlines after finding deceptive verification, opaque ad disclosures, and blocked researcher access.

Overview

  • EU investigators determined X’s paid blue-tick system misleads users by presenting accounts as verified without meaningful identity checks.
  • The Commission found X’s advertising repository fails DSA transparency and accessibility standards, while qualified researchers face barriers to public data access.
  • X must report specific measures to address the blue-tick violation within 60 working days and deliver an action plan on ads transparency and researcher access within 90 working days.
  • The Board of Digital Services will have one month to assess X’s plan, followed by a month for the Commission to set implementation timing, with potential periodic penalties if orders are ignored.
  • U.S. political figures criticized the ruling, including Vice President J.D. Vance, which Elon Musk noted publicly, as separate EU probes on illegal content and information manipulation remain active.