EU Warns that X's Blue Checkmarks Are Deceptive
The ruling could cost X up to six percent of its global revenue.
The European Union has ruled that X‘s blue checkmark verification system has deceived users, went against industry practices and violated the Digital Services Act. The EU argues that the ability to pay to be “verified” confuses users on what accounts are authentic and enables users with ill intent to deceive others by abusing this system. The multifaceted DSA investigation that began at the end of 2023 and is still ongoing, also looked into X’s failure to comply with transparency regulations, dissemination of illegal content and moderation practices.
EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said, “In our view, X does not comply with the DSA in key transparency areas, by using dark patterns and thus misleading users, by failing to provide an adequate ad repository, and by blocking access to data for researchers. The DSA has transparency at its very core, and we are determined to ensure that all platforms, including X, comply with EU legislation.”
X is the first company to be accused of breaching the DSA and now has an opportunity to defend itself. If X does not address the EU’s concerns, the social media platform could face further action and be fined up to six percent of its global revenue. However, the exact number may be difficult to determine due to the company’s private status.
This investigation comes as the EU rolls out strict rules for big tech companies like X and Meta to ensure the companies run their platforms with the proper safety and moderation standards.
