The social media platform X has terminated the European Commission's advertising account. This action occurred days after the European Union (EU) issued a €120 million (£105 million) fine to X.
Ad Account Termination Details
Nikita Bier, an executive at X, stated that the European Commission attempted to "take advantage" of an "exploit" within X's advertising system to promote a post regarding the fine. Bier commented, "It seems you believe that the rules should not apply to your account. Your ad account has been terminated." A spokesperson for the European Commission informed BBC News that the Commission consistently uses "all social media platforms in good faith."
EU Fine and Digital Services Act
The €120 million fine, issued on Friday, represents the first penalty imposed under the EU's Digital Services Act. The EU regulator characterized X's blue tick verification system as "deceptive," citing the platform's alleged failure to "meaningfully verify users." The regulator stated that this practice exposes users to risks such as scams, including impersonation fraud, and other forms of manipulation. Additionally, the EU claimed X was not providing adequate transparency regarding its advertisements or granting researchers access to public data. X has been given a 60-day period to address the Commission's concerns regarding its blue checkmarks, with potential for further penalties if unresolved.
Reactions to EU Actions
Following the fine, Elon Musk, owner of X, posted on the platform suggesting the EU "should be abolished." He also retweeted a post from another X user that drew a comparison between the EU and fascism. Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued statements accusing the EU regulator of "attacking and censoring US firms." They added, "the days of censoring Americans online are over."