The European Commission imposed a fine of €120 million on X (formerly Twitter) for violations of the European Digital Services Act (DSA) on Friday. This is the first time the Commission has imposed a penalty in the context of enforcing these rules.
The infringements include the misleading design of the "blue tick," the lack of transparency of the advertising register and the fact that researchers do not have access to public data, the Commission said in a press release.
At the end of 2023, the Commission had opened an investigation into Elon Musk's company under the DSA. This law requires large online platforms to take action to protect their users from illegal content, disinformation and abuse, among other things.
'Historic decision'
Belgium's Digitalisation Minister Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés) welcomed the "historic decision," she said shortly after the announcement.
"Europe has equipped itself with tools for a safer digital environment that complies with European values, the DSA. Our responsibility today is therefore to ensure that it is strictly enforced," she said. "Because even the most perfect DSA is useless if it is not applied."
However, it becomes a "powerful toll" when applied rigorously, Matz added. "This sanction, the first of its kind, marks a crucial step in protecting European users from misleading practices and illegal content online."
According to her, it is "essential" to fully implement existing regulatory frameworks before considering any revision. "This sanction sends a clear signal: platforms must comply with their obligations or face serious financial and legal consequences."
Finally, she called for the continuation of ongoing investigations into other alleged breaches by X, but also by other platforms.
