The European Commission penalized X with a €120 million fine due to a deceptive user authentication process.
After Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, the social network not only rebranded but also altered its strategy for account authentication: blue badges could be obtained through paid subscriptions.
Nevertheless, as the European Commission emphasizes, this framework solely generates the perception of identity confirmation, given that the firm itself doesn't validate the identities of profile possessors. This, in the regulator’s view, deceives users and increases their susceptibility to scams and influence.
The EC further declared that X had implemented technological obstacles to accessing the advertising repository, obstructing the ability to ascertain the advertisement’s contents, its central theme, and the entity that commissioned it.
Consequently, the European Commission levied a €120 million penalty on the platform—the inaugural penalty enforced under the Digital Services Act. X now has 60 business days to present a strategy to resolve the authentication matter.
