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EU Fines X €120 Million in First-Ever Digital Services Act Sanction

Brussels frames the penalty as enforcing DSA transparency rules.

Overview

  • The Commission cited deceptive design of paid blue checks, inadequate advertising transparency, and blocked access for approved researchers as the specific breaches.
  • X has 60 days to comply with corrective measures or face steeper penalties, with the DSA permitting fines up to 6% of global annual turnover.
  • EU investigations into X’s handling of illegal content and disinformation continue separately and were not concluded by this decision.
  • U.S. political figures, including Vice President J.D. Vance, condemned the move as anti–free speech, and Elon Musk attacked EU officials and the fine in posts on X.
  • EU officials said the amount was proportionate to the nature, gravity, and duration of the violations, and the Commission separately accepted remedial commitments from TikTok in another DSA case.