The European Commission announced Friday that X has been fined €120 million ($140 million) for violating the European Union’s sweeping digital transparency rules—an enforcement that lands with the force of a regulatory thunderbolt. The Commission accused the platform of “deceiving” users through its paid blue check verification system and flouting core obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc’s groundbreaking online-safety regime.
EU Says X Misled Users With Paid Checkmarks
Under the DSA, platforms must avoid deceptive design practices, a mandate the Commission says Elon Musk’s X clearly breached. According to the findings, any user can purchase “verified” status without the company meaningfully confirming their identity.
That system, the Commission said, transforms the blue checkmark—from once a trust badge—into a Trojan horse.
“This deception exposes users to scams, including impersonation frauds, as well as other forms of manipulation by malicious actors,” the Commission wrote, underscoring how the paid badge muddies users’ ability to assess authenticity.
While the law does not require platforms to verify users, it does prohibit falsely suggesting that verification has taken place.
