The European Union brought charges against a tech company for the first time since the bloc's new social media regulations went into effect on Friday, claiming that Elon Musk's X's blue checkmarks are misleading and that the online platform does not meet requirements for accountability and transparency.
In accordance with the 27-nation bloc's Digital Services Act, the European Commission presented the preliminary results of its investigation into X, formerly known as Twitter.
Digital Services Act
Under the threat of steep fines, the rulebook, also known as the DSA, is a comprehensive set of regulations that forces platforms to assume greater responsibility for safeguarding users and maintaining their websites.
Regulators attacked X's blue checks, claiming they represent "dark patterns" that violate industry best practices and give malicious actors the ability to trick users.
Musk acquired the website in 2022, and anyone who paid USD 8 a month for one was able to receive the verification marks. Prior to Musk's acquisition, they were primarily used by politicians, celebrities, and other powerful accounts and resembled the social media verification badges that are widely used.
European Commissions Comments
In the past, BlueChecks were recognized as reliable information sources, according to a statement from European Commissioner Thierry Breton. "As of right now, we believe that X violates the DSA and deceives users."
Additionally, the commission accused X of not adhering to the rules regarding advertisement transparency. Platforms are required by the DSA to create a database of all digital ads they have run, along with information about who paid for them and who the target market was.
However, the commission stated that X's ad database is "unfit for its transparency purpose" due to "design features and access barriers." According to the commission, the company also fails to provide researchers with access to public data, as mandated by the DSA.
