EU targets Musk’s X over content violations

BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) accused Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) of violating laws related to online content, alleging that the platform’s verified “blue tick” accounts could potentially mislead consumers and facilitate fraud.

According to a statement issued by the European Commission, there is evidence suggesting that X’s verification system, which includes the Blue Tick, is being misused by some people.

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The potential for misuse allows accounts to appear authentic to consumers, even though verification can be obtained merely by paying for it, without ensuring genuine credibility.

The EU regulators also criticised X for lacking transparency in its advertising practices and failing to comply with data disclosure requirements mandated by European law.

If these allegations are substantiated, X could face severe penalties, including fines amounting to 6 per cent of its global annual revenue. X might also be compelled to implement significant operational changes within Europe.

The European Commission’s scrutiny falls under the Digital Services Act (DSA). It aims to prevent the dissemination of illegal content and safeguard public interests. Alongside X, investigations are ongoing into other tech giants such as TikTok, Meta platforms (Instagram, Facebook) and Apple.

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As of now, X has not issued a formal response regarding these accusations.