Overview
- X said it closed the European Commission’s advertising account, alleging misuse of its Ad Composer to boost a link disguised as a video; the Commission denied wrongdoing, noted it halted paid ads on X in October 2023, and EU officials said the Composer has been inactive for over a month.
- The European Commission fined X €120 million for breaching Digital Services Act transparency obligations, marking the first major enforcement against a large platform under the law.
- Elon Musk urged that the European Union be abolished and amplified a post portraying the EU as a “Fourth Reich,” sharpening the dispute.
- A Commission spokesperson asserted that decisions concerning the Union are made by the Union, underscoring regulatory autonomy, protection of free expression, and the rules-based international order.
- European responses split: Kaja Kallas called the United States Europe’s biggest ally while conceding some criticisms, Italy’s leaders pressed for stronger European defense, and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán praised Musk’s stance.