In a decision that could anger the US President Donald Trump the commission censured Elon Musk’s<\/a> platform for three different breaches of DSA transparency requirements.<\/p>\n Image: The Trump<\/a> administration has previously criticised Brussels’ digital regulations, saying that they target US tech companies and had vowed to retaliate.<\/p>\n One of X’s breaches highlighted by the EU concerned the “deceptive design practices” of the platform’s blue checkmarks, which exposed users to scams and manipulation, regulators said.<\/p>\n Before Mr Musk acquired the site for $44bn (\u00a333bn) in 2022, the checkmarks indicated the accounts of notable users with verified identities.<\/p>\n Under the tech billionaire’s changes, however, the badge could be bought by anyone willing to pay $8 (\u00a36) a month.<\/p>\n 2:07<\/p>\n How Elon Musk’s X is boosting the British right.<\/p>\n The commission said, it was therefore “difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with”.<\/p>\n X also fell short of transparency requirements for its database of advertisements, regulators said.<\/p>\n Read more: In the EU, platforms are required to provide a database of all the digital ads they have carried, with details such as who paid for them and the intended audience.<\/p>\n But the commission said X had created “access barriers” to its database, which lacked “critical information” and imposed “excessive delays in processing, which undermine the purpose of ad repositories”.<\/p>\n Image: <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n It also found X had failed to meet its DSA obligations to provide researchers with its public data, the commission said.<\/p>\n The EU’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, Henna Virkkunen, said: “Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU.<\/p>\n “The DSA protects users. The DSA gives researchers the way to uncover potential threats. The DSA restores trust in the online environment.<\/p>\n “With the DSA’s first non-compliance decision, we are holding X responsible for undermining users’ rights and evading accountability.”<\/p>\n Spotify<\/p>\n This content is provided by Spotify, which may be using cookies and other technologies. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spotify cookies.![\"Elon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/skynews-elon-musk-donald-trump_6936588.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Elon Musk with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
\nPic: Reuters<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/skynews-elon-musk-x-right-wing_7072906.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The X Effect: How Elon Musk is boosting the British right<\/a>
Elon Musk’s $1trn pay package approved by Tesla<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Elon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/skynews-elon-musk-twitter-x_7101865.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Elon Musk’s profile on X, with the blue checkmark displayed. Pic: AP<\/p>\n
\n To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
\n You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spotify cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
\n You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spotify cookies for this session only.<\/p>\n