EU says X’s blue tick accounts deceive users

Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has come under fire from the European Union for allegedly violating its online content regulations. The EU claims that X's blue tick accounts, which are meant to signify verified identities, can mislead users. The blue tick, which should indicate a verified account, can actually be purchased by anyone, leading to potential confusion about the authenticity of these accounts. The EU has found evidence of malicious actors exploiting this system to deceive users. This investigation is part of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which could result in X facing fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue and being forced to alter its operations within the EU. Elon Musk, who acquired the platform for $44 billion in 2022, has expressed his displeasure, calling the DSA rules 'censored speech'. The EU's tech regulator also pointed out a lack of transparency in X's advertising practices and noted that the platform does not provide data for research purposes as required by EU regulations. The findings come after a seven-month investigation under the DSA, which mandates that major tech companies like X take measures to prevent illegal content and protect the public. The DSA was introduced in 2022. The European Commission stated that X's design and operation of its blue tick verified accounts do not align with industry standards and mislead users. Since anyone can subscribe to obtain a 'verified' status, it undermines users' ability to make informed decisions about the authenticity of accounts and the content they engage with. The Commission also found evidence of malicious actors abusing the 'verified account' status to deceive users. Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market, remarked that the blue tick used to signify trustworthy sources of information. However, with X, it now misleads users and violates the DSA. X has the right to defend itself, but if the EU's preliminary view is confirmed, the platform will face fines and be required to implement significant changes. Additionally, X has been accused of blocking researchers from accessing its public data. If found in breach, X will also be subject to an 'enhanced supervision period' to ensure compliance. The Commission will continue to investigate X's practices regarding the dissemination of illegal content and its efforts to combat the spread of fake news.