Elon Musk fined £105 million by EU over misleading blue ticks on X

Tech bellwether Elon Musk has been fined €120 million (£105 million) by the European Union (EU) for misleading users with its blue tick verification system on social media platform X (formerly).

Why EU has fined Elon Musk for blue ticks on X?

Arguing that since X is not "meaningfully verifying" account ownership, the European Commission stated that allowing users to pay for a verified check mark deceives the public.

The Commission also cautioned that this practice exposes users to scams, including impersonation fraud and manipulation by prolific scammers.

Responding to the impending fine on Musk, US Vice President JD Vance criticised the EU, claiming it was punishing X for not engaging in censorship.

He argued that the EU should support free speech rather than attack American companies.

Alongside the blue tick controversy, EU regulators also noted that X failed to provide transparency regarding its advertising practices and has restricted researchers' access to public data.

Henna Virkkunen, the regulator's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, emphasised that X should be held accountable for undermining users' rights.

The considerable fine on Musk reflects the gravity and duration of the infringements affecting EU users.

Musk's fine marks the Commission's first action against a social media platform for not complying with the Digital Services Act (DSA), which outlines obligations related to online content, data, and advertising on platforms.

X is now required to inform the Commission of its plans to comply with EU laws or face additional fines.

This development reflects the growing scrutiny of tech giants by international regulators.