EU Slaps X with Major Fine under Digital Services Act

EU regulators fined Elon Musk's social media company X 120 million euros for breaching online content rules. This move, under the Digital Services Act, aims to tackle harmful content. TikTok avoided penalties through concessions. U.S. criticism highlights selective targeting of American companies.

The European Union tech regulators fined Elon Musk's social media company X, formerly known as Twitter, a hefty 120 million euros for breaking EU online content rules. This marks the first significant penalty under the EU's landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), set to reshape how tech companies handle illegal and harmful content online.

The decision to sanction X, driven by years of investigation into its compliance with the DSA, underscores Europe's commitment to ensuring competitive digital markets and consumer choice, while drawing sharp criticism from the U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who accused the EU of censorship. TikTok, a Chinese social media app, narrowly avoided similar penalties by making concessions.

TikTok's adjustments include commitments to transparency improvements, specifically in its ad library, which aims to provide better access for researchers and users. The EU maintains that its actions are not aimed at U.S. companies, emphasizing its standards in defending digital rights. The cumulative impact of these EU actions is profound, with further decisions on Meta and China's Temu anticipated soon.