UPDATE – DECEMBER 2025:
Since this article was first published, the European Commission has moved from investigation to enforcement. On December 5, 2025, the Commission issued a €120 million fine against X (formerly Twitter), marking the first-ever penalty under the Digital Services Act. The decision cited violations related to deceptive account verification practices, failures in advertising transparency, and restrictions on researcher data access. X now has set deadlines to come into full compliance or face additional sanctions, including larger fines or potential service restrictions within the EU. These enforcement actions build directly on the preliminary findings released in mid-2025 and signal the Commission’s increasing willingness to use the DSA’s full regulatory powers.
ORIGINAL NEWS STORY:
X.com/Twitter could be punished by the Digital Services Act in the EU
On Thursday, October 12, the European Union (EU) revealed that it had formally requested information from X, scrutinizing the company’s handling of violent content and disinformation related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The EU’s formal request seeks to evaluate X’s compliance with the recently enacted Digital Services Act (DSA). This inquiry has the potential to trigger a comprehensive investigation into the company’s adherence to the DSA. A failure to respond accurately or provide misleading information may expose X to fines of up to 5% of its daily global turnover. Continued violations under the DSA could escalate these fines to as much as 6% of the global turnover, translating to potential penalties in the hundreds of millions. Persistent violations could also result in the suspension of X in the EU.
The EU’s request followed an open letter from EU Commissioner Thierry Breton to Musk on X just two days prior. In the letter, Breton emphasized the need for transparency in content policies, timely action in response to notices of illegal content in the EU, and the implementation of effective measures to address disinformation risks to public security and civic discourse.
EU’s Enforcement Powers and First Major Fines Under the DSA
As one of the 17 designated Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) under the DSA, X faces heightened scrutiny. The company is mandated to furnish details about the activation and functionality of its crisis response protocol by Wednesday, October 18. Additionally, X has until Tuesday, October 31, to address other concerns raised. Non-compliance could lead to the imposition of the first major fine under the DSA. Importantly, X is not the sole social media entity receiving warnings. In letters directed to X, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton also reminded Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Shou Zi Chew of TikTok about their obligations to combat misinformation under the DSA. Many of these concerns revolve around disinformation related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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