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Musk Blasts EU After €120M Fine Over X's 'Deceptive' Blue Checkmarks

08:16 PM, 12/08/2025

Elon Musk lashed out at the European Union after regulators fined X €120 million ($140 million) for the "deceptive" presentation of paid verification checkmarks. He boosted posts criticizing the bloc, reshared a meme comparing the EU to the Nazi regime and backed referendums on membership. The fine follows a two-year Digital Services Act probe that found X's paid verification made it difficult to judge account authenticity.

Elon Musk spent the weekend publicly attacking the European Union after regulators fined his platform X €120 million ($140 million) for what the bloc described as the "deceptive design" of its blue verification checkmarks.

Musk amplified posts that framed Brussels as censorious and anti-democratic, reshared a meme likening the EU to the Nazi regime and backed calls for binding national referendums on EU membership. In one boosted post he asked, "How long before the EU is gone? AbolishTheEU." In another he posted a video calling EU headquarters a "giant cathedral to bureaucracy" and warned of a "slow strangulation by overregulation."

Regulators' Findings

The European Commission said its two-year investigation under the Digital Services Act found X's paid "verified" status made it difficult for users to distinguish authentic accounts from impersonators. The commission summarized its findings:

"On X, anyone can pay to obtain the 'verified' status without the company meaningfully verifying who is behind the account, making it difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with."

The €120 million penalty follows that probe. X's owner has repeatedly accused Brussels of trying to censor the platform, and Musk also reposted a message from U.S. political figure JD Vance warning the EU not to "attack American companies." The European Commission did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

What This Means

The dispute highlights rising tensions between major tech platforms and European regulators enforcing the Digital Services Act, which aims to improve online accountability and curb harmful design practices. For X, the fine could prompt design and verification changes to comply with EU rules and avoid further penalties.

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