EU Imposes €120 Million Fine on Elon Musk's X for DSA Violations

Background and Investigation

The European Union has levied a significant financial penalty against X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, for non-compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The €120 million fine, equivalent to approximately Rp 2.32 trillion, was imposed following a comprehensive two-year investigation into the platform's content moderation practices. The investigation revealed multiple violations, including the platform's misleading blue check verification system, inadequate transparency in advertising repositories, and failure to provide researchers access to public data.

Regulatory Perspective

European Commission technology chief, Henna Virkkunen, emphasized that the fine was proportionate to the nature and severity of the violations, particularly their impact on EU users. The Commission's approach focuses on ensuring compliance with digital regulations rather than imposing maximum penalties. Virkkunen clarified that the DSA is not related to censorship but rather to enforcing accountability among digital platforms.

Implications for Digital Platforms

This enforcement action sends a strong signal to digital platforms operating in the EU about the importance of compliance with the DSA. The regulation mandates platforms to proactively address illegal and harmful content, maintain transparency in their operations, and provide access to data for research purposes. The case against X demonstrates the EU's commitment to regulating Big Tech companies and protecting users in the digital ecosystem.