Elon Musk has unleashed a tirade against the European Union after his social media platform, X, was slapped with a €120 million (approximately $140 million) fine by the EU’s executive branch. The fine stems from alleged failures to comply with transparency rules outlined in the EU’s Digital Services Act.
Musk’s response was swift and scathing, taking to X to express his displeasure.
“The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries,” he declared, arguing that this would allow governments to better represent their citizens.
He followed up with the question, “How long before the EU is gone?”
Musk continued his barrage, suggesting that Europe was “sleep–walking into oblivion.”
The EU’s executive arm detailed the reasons for the hefty fine, citing several key areas of non-compliance. These included:
“Deceptive design” of the blue verification checkmark: The EU contends that X’s approach to selling “verified” checkmarks is misleading to users as it does not meaningfully verify the identities of account holders. This can make it difficult for users to assess the authenticity of accounts and increases the risk of scams and impersonation.
Lack of advertising transparency: The EU commission stated that X’s ad repository failed to meet transparency standards. Critical information related to advertisements, such as content, topic, and who paid for them, was allegedly missing, hindering users and researchers alike.
Insufficient data access for researchers: The EU found that X had placed undue restrictions on researchers’ access to public data, creating “unnecessary barriers” and impeding research into systemic risks within the EU.
Musk spent hours reposting calls to “abolish” the EU and restore freedom and safety to Europe. He even urged Europeans to withdraw from the EU to reclaim their sovereignty, stating, “I mean it. Not kidding.” Despite his criticisms, Musk clarified that he “loved” the continent, but not the “bureaucratic monster that is the EU.”
The fine and Musk’s reaction have ignited a trans-Atlantic debate, with figures in the United States rallying to Musk’s defense.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the fine as an attack on American tech platforms and the American people. He proclaimed that the days of censoring Americans online were “over.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz labelled the fine an “abomination,” characterizing it as an attack on a significant American job creator and the free speech rights of every American. Cruz called for sanctions against the EU until the decision is reversed.
Vice President JD Vance had previously voiced concerns about the possibility of the fine, stating that the EU should be supporting free speech rather than attacking American companies over “garbage.”
X now has a three-month window to inform EU leadership of the specific steps it will take to rectify the identified infringements.
The European Commission emphasized that an ongoing investigation remains open, focusing on the dissemination of illegal content and the effectiveness of measures to combat information manipulation on the platform.
The Commission elaborated on its findings, highlighting the detrimental effects of X’s practices:
Misleading verification system: The sale of “verified” checkmarks without proper verification was deemed to mislead users, making it harder to judge authenticity and increasing vulnerability to scams.
Inadequate ad repository: The lack of crucial information in X’s ad repository hindered transparency for users and researchers, limiting their understanding of ad content, targeting, and funding.
Restricted data access: The limitations imposed on researchers’ access to public data created unnecessary obstacles and hampered research into systemic risks within the EU.
According to X’s Digital Services Act transparency report from October, the platform boasts approximately 102 million monthly users within the EU. France leads with over 18 million users, followed closely by Spain with around 17 million.
This isn’t Musk’s first encounter with regulatory challenges abroad. In Brazil, the Supreme Court briefly shut down X nationwide after Musk refused to appoint a legal representative in the country and comply with a court order to close profiles accused of spreading fake news. Ultimately, X yielded to Brazil’s demands, and the platform was restored to its more than 200 million users in the country.
