The European Commission took aim at X for breaking the DSA, proof that Europe’s landmark law can bite. Despite political pressure and corporate pushback, the EU is showing that online platforms can and will be held accountable for practices that mislead users, cause harm, or undermine democracy.
On Friday, the European Commission imposed a €120 million fine on the platform X, formerly Twitter, for breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU’s landmark law aiming to make online platforms safer and more accountable. The company was found to deceive users after it changed its blue check mark from a user verification into a paid feature. It also failed to grant researcher access to data as prescribed by the DSA, according to the decision. X has been given 90 days to make its platform compliant or else face further penalties.
EDRi welcomes this decision as a long overdue step towards real accountability: X has not only failed to comply with its obligations under the DSA but made it publicly clear that they intend to undermine and fight the rule of law in Europe. The decision is not about ‘censorship’ but about transparency and consumer fairness. By confirming X’s non-compliance, the Commission sends a clear signal: EU digital rules are not optional.
“The fine against X comes very late, but Elon Musk’s immature response on social media and the irresponsible threats made by the US government against the EU show that we’re on the right path. The fact that X has reacted by single-handedly terminating the EU Commission’s advertising account on the platform underlines just how dangerous our dependency on Big Tech is,” said Jan Penfrat, Senior Policy Advisor at EDRi.
In response, Elon Musk reacted with alarming rhetoric, calling for the dismantling of the EU and the support of anti-democratic parties across the continent. Such statements represent a dangerous interference in the EU’s democratic institutions and are likely to embolden far-right forces that have long sought to weaken Europe’s regulatory shield for democracy and fundamental rights. This underlines how vital it is that enforcement does not waver in the face of political intimidation or corporate pressure.
“The DSA ruling against X is also a stark reminder of just how much Europe benefits from strong regulation. The EU’s current deregulation agenda under the ‘simplification’ banner is a direct threat to Europe’s ability to defend itself against this onslaught against our democracy and rights,” Penfrat added.
The ruling comes at a pivotal moment for Europe’s tech governance. Geopolitical pressure, deregulation proposals, and aggressive corporate lobbying are testing the EU’s resolve to defend the rule of law in the digital sphere. This decision must be the start of a broader wave of enforcement that finally compels platforms to take responsibility for the harm they inflict on people, communities, and democratic institutions.
Hundreds or even thousands of complaints are still under review by Digital Service Coordinators across the EU. The EU needs resolute action in its enforcement, matching capacity with ambition through stronger staffing, deeper technical expertise and independence, along with a unified approach on the enforcement its digital rulebook.
EDRi urges the EU to continue resisting the US political pressure and corporate intimidation, upholding its digital rulebook, and standing firm in protecting our fundamental rights. Anything less risks surrendering the integrity of Europe’s digital spaces to those who profit from its erosion.
European Digital Rights is a dynamic collective of 50+ NGOs, experts, advocates and academics working to defend and advance digital rights across Europe. We advocate for robust and enforced laws, inform and mobilise people, promote a healthy and accountable technology market, and build a movement committed to digital rights in a connected world. Find EDRi on Mastodon for digital rights news updates.
