The European Commission has intensified its investigation into X, formerly known as Twitter, as part of ongoing proceedings to assess the platform’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). On Friday, the Commission announced three new investigatory measures focused on X’s recommender systems, adding to its earlier preliminary findings that the platform had breached DSA rules on advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and the use of dark patterns.
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen stressed the importance of the new measures, stating: “Today we are taking further steps to shed light on the compliance of X’s recommender systems with the obligations under the DSA. We are committed to ensuring that every platform operating in the EU respects our legislation, which aims to make the online environment fair, safe, and democratic for all European citizens.”
As part of these actions, the Commission has requested internal documentation on X’s recommender systems, including recent changes, which must be provided by February 15, 2025. Additionally, a retention order has been issued requiring X to preserve documents relating to future algorithmic changes until the end of 2025. Lastly, the Commission has demanded access to specific commercial APIs to analyze the platform’s content moderation practices and account virality. These measures aim to uncover systemic risks and assess the platform’s adherence to EU regulations.
The investigation builds on a preliminary view that X’s practices regarding verified accounts, advertising repositories, and researcher data access fail to meet DSA standards. The Commission’s findings suggest that X’s current operations compromise transparency, accountability, and user protection. Failure to address these issues could result in fines of up to 6% of X’s global annual revenue, mandatory corrective measures, and enhanced supervision.
This development is part of broader enforcement efforts under the DSA, which also include investigations into platforms such as TikTok and Meta. The findings against X could set significant precedents for compliance across digital platforms operating in the EU.
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