Summary: X has submitted changes to its verification process in the European Union after being penalized 120 million euros, a European Commission spokesperson told Bloomberg News. The commission will examine the proposed remedies as part of an enforcement action under the bloc's Digital Services Act.
X, the social media company owned by Elon Musk, has agreed to alter how it handles its blue check verification mark within the EU following a 120 million euro fine, according to a statement attributed to a spokesperson for the European Commission in a Bloomberg News report on Thursday. The sanction stems from a prolonged inquiry under the Digital Services Act, the EU's framework for online platform accountability.
Details provided in the Bloomberg account indicate that Thomas Regnier, the commission spokesperson cited in the report, said X filed remedial measures specifically tied to its blue check verification feature. Regnier also noted that the commission will review those remedies as part of its enforcement responsibilities.
The fine, imposed in December, represented the first penalty under the DSA and followed a roughly two-year investigation. In July 2024 the European Commission accused X of deceiving users by converting the blue checkmark from a symbol of verified identity to a status available through payment. At that time the commission said the checkmark no longer matched industry practice because anyone could pay to receive a so-called "verified" status.
Historically, the blue checkmark indicated that an account linked to a public figure had an identity verified by the platform. After acquiring the service in 2022, Musk changed the checkmark to denote paid subscription status rather than verified identity. Musk purchased the company, formerly known as Twitter, for 44 billion dollars.
The Bloomberg report also noted that neither the European Commission nor X immediately responded to requests for comment submitted to Reuters. Regnier's remarks as relayed in the report focused on the submission of remedies and the commission's forthcoming assessment of those proposals.
Context note: The commission's assessment will determine whether the remedies adequately address concerns identified during the investigation under the Digital Services Act. The outcome of that review is not detailed in the report.