Elon Musk’s platform X has been hit with a €120 million (approximately $140 million) penalty by European Union regulators for failing to comply with key online safety rules under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This marks the first major enforcement action since the DSA came into effect, signalling the EU’s tougher stance on regulating harmful and illegal online content across large digital platforms.
The ruling comes amid rising geopolitical tension over tech governance between the European Union and the United States. The US administration has criticised the EU’s regulatory framework, claiming it unfairly targets American tech giants and limits free speech by imposing stricter moderation requirements.
However, the European Commission strongly defended its position, stating that the rules are neutral and designed to protect democratic values, user safety, and digital accountability. According to the Commission, a two-year investigation into X revealed gaps in preventing the spread of illegal, harmful, and misleading content.
The Digital Services Act requires major platforms to actively monitor and reduce disinformation, online scams, and material posing public risk – a responsibility that EU claims X has fallen short on, especially after Elon Musk reduced moderation teams and rolled back trust and safety controls.
In a related development, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is also facing regulatory challenges. EU officials have accused the platform of failing to provide mandatory transparency for political and paid advertising – a key requirement to fight misinformation and scam promotions.
The latest penalties highlight Europe’s commitment to becoming a global leader in digital accountability and platform governance.
