European Commission Fines Elon Musk's X Platform $120 Million for Violating Digital Services Act

After two years of investigation, the European Commission announced findings regarding Elon Musk's social media platform, X, on Friday, December 5. The Commission decided to impose a fine of 120 million euros for multiple violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Among the infractions detailed, X was found guilty of misleading practices related to its blue checkmark verification badge, insufficient transparency in its advertising repository, and failing to grant researchers access to essential public data. While this monetary penalty may appear modest in the larger context of tech industry fines, a European official highlighted that it is proportional to the violations committed. The official noted that the financial repercussions for X would have been significantly lower had the company adhered to established regulations from the onset. This ruling underscores the European Union's commitment to enforcing digital regulations, especially against the backdrop of shifting dynamics in transatlantic tech governance. The context has become increasingly complex with Donald Trump's return to the political forefront in the United States. Since his re-election to the White House, there have been rising pressures from the US administration seeking to ease regulations on American technology giants, including calls for the EU to reconsider or even abandon aspects of the DSA, which was originally adopted in 2022. As Europe continues to assert its regulatory framework in the digital sphere, this decision serves as a vital example of the region's determination to hold companies accountable for their actions and maintain transparency within the digital ecosystem. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3