Overview
- The penalty is the first major enforcement action against a large platform under the EU’s Digital Services Act.
- The case centers on X’s paid blue check marks, which the Commission says falsely conveyed official verification after the 2022 shift to a subscription model.
- Elon Musk responded by urging the dissolution of the European Union on his platform and amplified allied criticism from the United States.
- U.S. figures including J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump attacked the decision, while EU officials said the fine targets transparency obligations rather than speech.
- The Commission’s December 2023 probe into illegal content and information manipulation on X remains open, with potential for steeper fines or restrictions if systemic breaches are proven.