Elon Musk’s social media platform X has been hit with a warning from the European Union for deceiving users into engaging with potentially harmful content, in the latest show of force by Brussels against Big Tech’s practices.
The bloc’s regulators are worried that X’s use of blue check marks for verified accounts “deceives” users into believing such accounts are safe when “there is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing” the check mark system, regulators said in provisional findings issued on Friday.
After Elon Musk bought the site, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022, it started issuing the verification marks to anyone who paid $8 per month (€7.30). Before Mr Musk’s acquisition, the ticks mirrored verification badges common on social media and were largely reserved for celebrities, politicians and other influential accounts.
European internal markets commissioner Thierry Breton said: “Back in the day, BlueChecks used to mean trustworthy sources of information.”
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The move from the EU under its Digital Services Act (DSA) could eventually pave the way for fines of up to 6 per cent of X’s revenue, if the company fails to appease the EU’s concerns. There is no specific time frame for the next steps in the investigation.
The DSA is a sweeping set of regulations that requires platforms to take more responsibility for protecting users and cleaning up their sites. X’s lack of transparency on advertising also potentially breaches the DSA, the European Commission said, as does the platform’s failure to open up its data to researchers.
“X has now the right of defence but if our view is confirmed, we will impose fines and require significant changes,” Mr Breton said on Friday. Before a financial penalty is ever imposed, EU regulators will have to adopt a final decision in the case.
[ EU opens proceedings against X in first investigation under new rulesOpens in new window ]
Last year a number of high-profile public figures distanced themselves from verification on X, then Twitter, after the platform announced legacy blue ticks would be removed, leaving only those who opted to pay. Hashtags such as #BlockTheBlueChecks trended on X in the backlash, while several celebrities decided to leave the platform – including actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.
When some profiles had their verified status reinstated without payment, a number of celebrities and owners of high-profile account owners insisted they would not pay.
The warning shot against X follows the opening of an investigation under the DSA by the EU’s regulators last December. Brussels watchdogs have made inquiries into the platform’s handling of content after Hamas’s attacks on Israel last year.
Regulators also have opened investigations into Meta, AliExpress and ByteDance’s TikTok.
The DSA became legally enforceable last August, laying out content rules for social media platforms, online marketplaces and app stores. The rules force their owners to clamp down on misinformation and objectionable content such as hate speech and terrorist propaganda.
– Bloomberg/ AP
