EU accuses Elon Musk’s X of breaching Digital Services Act regulations

The European Commission has accused Elon Musk's social media platform X of breaching the Digital Services Act, citing violations such as misleading users and lacking transparency. The preliminary findings from the investigation highlighted issues with X's use of "dark patterns" to influence user behavior, inadequate ad repository, and restricted access to data for researchers. The Commission warned that if confirmed, X could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The investigation into X's practices was initiated following concerns about the platform's content moderation and dissemination of illegal content, particularly in relation to Hamas-affiliated accounts after attacks against Israel. The Commission's findings also criticized X's verification process, stating that the blue checkmark system was being abused by "malicious actors" to deceive users. Additionally, X was accused of hindering advertising transparency and limiting researchers' access to public data, as required by the DSA. Elon Musk responded to the accusations by challenging the Commission and denying any secret deal, claiming that X was offered an "illegal secret deal" to avoid a fine by censoring speech. The Commission refuted these claims and emphasized that X has the right to defend itself, but potential fines and significant changes may be imposed if the violations are confirmed. The DSA aims to ensure transparency and compliance with EU legislation among all platforms, including X. The European Union's antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, stressed the importance of transparency in the DSA and expressed determination to enforce compliance with the regulations. X, formerly known as Twitter, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the allegations. The Commission is also investigating other tech giants like TikTok, Alibaba's AliExpress, and Meta over similar concerns, signaling a broader regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech firms in the EU.