A sharp rift between Elon Musk and European Union (EU) regulators deepened after his social media platform X was hit with a fine of $140 million for alleged violations of the region’s content and transparency rules. The penalty was issued under the Digital Services Act, a rulebook introduced in August 2023 to oversee how large online platforms manage user data and moderate content.
Musk criticised the European Union soon after the decision, calling for power to return to individual nations. He wrote on X that the bloc “should be abolished” and argued that governments can better represent their people when acting independently. He followed this with another remark asking “how long before the EU is gone” along with the phrase “AbolishTheEU,” signalling growing tension between X and regulators.
According to a statement from the European Commission, the fine was imposed because X failed to meet three transparency requirements under the law. Regulators said that the platform’s blue checkmarks had a “deceptive design” that could expose users to scams and manipulation. They also noted that X did not meet standards for maintaining its ad database and did not provide researchers with proper access to public data. The platform had already received a formal warning last year after claims that it did not do enough to control dangerous content.
The Digital Services Act aims to make major online services more responsible for the safety and integrity of their digital environments. The ongoing disagreement between X and the European Union highlights the broader clash over how online platforms are governed and the level of accountability expected from big tech companies.
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