European Union Fines Elon Musk's X $140 Million Under Digital Services Act Over Deceptive Verification and Data Withholding
Key Takeaways
- European Union fined X €120 million (about $140 million) under the Digital Services Act.
- Regulators found deceptive verification, insufficient ad transparency, and withholding of public researcher data.
- U.S. diplomats criticized the penalty, saying it strains transatlantic relations and shared security cooperation.
EU fines X under DSA
The European Union has fined Elon Musk's social platform X for breaching the bloc's Digital Services Act.
“President Trump’s administration published its long‑awaited national security strategy, shifting U”
Regulators accused the company of deceptive verification practices.
They also cited inadequate transparency in advertising.
Officials said the company refused researchers access to public data.
Outlets reported the penalty at about $140 million, or €120 million in some reports.
DSA enforcement action
Regulators said the action targeted X's verification system, known as the blue-check, as deceptive, and cited shortcomings in ad transparency plus a refusal to provide public data to researchers.
Reporting described the measure as the first major enforcement under the Digital Services Act and as aimed at ensuring compliance with transparency obligations.
Fine amount reporting differences
Different outlets report slightly different monetary amounts: EconoTimes states the penalty as $140 million, Digital Journal records the fine as €120 million (noting this is about $140 million), and the South China Morning Post emphasizes the enforcement action and the violations rather than the currency conversion.
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U.S. reactions to fine
EconoTimes reports top U.S. officials sharply criticized the move, calling it censorship and an attack on American tech companies.
South China Morning Post names specific American critics — including Landau, Senators Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance, and FCC Chair Brendan Carr — and frames Washington’s objections as reflecting broader concerns about European digital rules’ impact on American tech firms.
Digital Journal’s brief report relays the fine amount via AFP and does not foreground U.S. political pushback.
EU DSA fine coverage
Taken together, the sources present a consistent core account: regulators fined X under the DSA for deceptive verification, ad-transparency failures, and blocking researcher access.
“A growing rift between the United States and Europe deepened after the European Union issued a $140 million fine against Elon Musk’s social media platform X under the Digital Services Act”
EconoTimes foregrounds geopolitical friction and uses strong U.S. political language.
South China Morning Post stresses regulatory precedent and names the U.S. critics.
Digital Journal delivers a concise, AFP-sourced monetary report.
Where the pieces diverge is largely in framing and detail, not on the central finding that the EU imposed a penalty for those violations.
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