Overview
- The European Commission said X breached DSA transparency rules through a paid blue check that can mislead users, confusing verification with subscription status.
- Regulators also cited misleading advertising design and a failure to provide required data access to European researchers.
- Commission representative Toma Renié stressed the decision does not address censorship, releasing 2025 moderation tallies showing Instagram at 118 million, Facebook over 413 million, and X at 660,000 decisions in Europe.
- U.S. politicians criticized the move, with Senator Marco Rubio calling it an attack on American platforms and citizens, and J.D. Vance and Elon Musk amplifying free‑speech objections.
- Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused the EU of setting unworkable rules to punish firms that refuse quiet speech restrictions, as the DSA—effective since 2023—empowers fines that the Commission previously warned could reach up to 6% of global turnover.