Brussels fines X €120 million, cites transparency and researcher access failures

The European Commission announces today that it is fining X €120 million for violations of the Digital Services Act, saying the social media platform breached rules on advertising transparency, presented its verification system in a misleading way, and failed to provide researchers with access to public data. The decision follows an inquiry that began in December 2023 and targets technical compliance failures the Commission judged straightforward to establish.

Brussels identified three specific areas of non compliance. First, X failed to meet requirements on an ad repository that obliges large platforms to record and disclose information about paid political and issue advertising, a transparency measure intended to allow public scrutiny. Second, regulators concluded that the platform’s handling and presentation of its verification system including the blue checkmark created a misleading impression about the nature and trustworthiness of accounts. Third, X did not provide researchers with access to public data sets under the conditions set by the Digital Services Act, undermining independent study of platform dynamics.

The Commission said it chose to sanction the clearest technical breaches rather than resolve more contested issues such as content moderation and disinformation immediately. That approach reflects the complex political environment surrounding enforcement, where EU officials face pressure from across the Atlantic and debate how forcefully to apply new digital rules against dominant US based platforms. The case illustrates how regulators may prioritize quickly provable breaches to establish enforcement credibility while leaving harder legal and policy questions for later adjudication.

Brussels also reported progress in parallel dealings with other large platforms, noting commitments secured from TikTok on greater ad transparency. Observers said the X decision is intended to send a signal that obligations under the Digital Services Act will be applied to the largest online intermediaries, and to create an enforcement template for similar technical breaches across the sector. Le Monde framed the fine as a significant enforcement signal by Brussels that the DSA will be applied to large platforms.

The penalty is among the first high profile fines issued under the new regulatory framework for online services, which gives the Commission and national authorities expanded powers to enforce transparency, risk management, and researcher access obligations. For X the ruling raises immediate legal and reputational questions and is likely to prompt an appeal or other legal challenges, although the Commission has signaled that it sees these elements as clear breaches.

Beyond the legal contest, the case underscores broader societal concerns about platform accountability, the integrity of verification mechanisms, and the ability of independent researchers to study online speech and advertising. For policymakers the decision will test how swiftly and rigorously regulators can translate the Digital Services Act into concrete remedies, and how that enforcement trajectory will shape platform behavior and public trust in the digital information environment.