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   X fined $140 million for breaching EU rules, Elon calls for bloc abolition   
      
   Date:   
   Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:40:00 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   The European Commission has fined X 120 million for three separate issues,   
   including the blue checkmark.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   The European Commission has fined social media platform X 120 million   
   (euros, around US$140 million) for breaching transparency obligations set out   
   under the Digital Services Act (DSA).   
      
   Europes concerns include a lack of transparency of the platforms advertising   
   repository and failure to provide researchers with access to public data. The   
   bloc also criticized Xs blue checkmark scheme for being deceptive to users.    
      
   X, owned by Elon Musk, has been given 60 days to address blue checkmark   
   concerns, and 90 days to provide an action plan for ad transparency and   
   research data access.   
      
   Failure to comply with the European Commissions remedial timeframes could see   
   Musks platform face ongoing penalty payments.    
      
   Regarding Xs advertising, the EU noted that the platform incorporates design   
   features and access barriers like processing delays, which hinders    
   researchers and the public to independently scrutinize any potential risks.   
   Repositories play an important role in detecting scams, hybrid threat   
   campaigns, coordinated information operations and fake advertisements - many   
   of which could be loaded with malware or lead to identity theft .    
      
   For researchers, Xs terms prohibit eligible researchers from independently   
   accessing its public data.    
      
   The EU also noted that X fails to conduct sufficient verification for    
   accounts applying for the paid blue checkmark. Its deceptive because [the    
   DSA] clearly prohibits online platforms from falsely claiming that users have   
   been verified, when no such verification took place.    
      
   Even though the case has been about two years in the making, with   
   investigations starting in December 2023, this landmark case denotes the    
   first fine under the DSA.    
      
   With the DSAs first non-compliance decision, we are holding X responsible for   
   undermining users rights and evading accountability, Tech Sovereignty,   
   Security and Democracy SVP Henna Virkkunen commented .    
      
   US Ambassador to the EU Andy Puzder said the fine was excessive and targeting   
   American innovation.    
      
   The Trump Administration has been clear: we oppose censorship and will   
   challenge burdensome regulations that target US companies abroad, Puzder    
   said, anticipating fair, open, & reciprocal trade with the EU.    
      
   Responding to Virkkunens X post , Musk responded : You love censorship more   
   than life itself.    
      
   Separately, Musk wrote : The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned   
   to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their   
   people.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/x-fined-usd140-million-for-breaching-eu-rules-el   
   on-calls-for-bloc-abolition   
      
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