The social network X will change the way it issues “blue checkmarks” for users in Europe

X agreed to change the user verification system for EU countries

The social network X, part of Elon Musk’s company group, prompted the European Commission to review its scheme for confirming accounts of European Union residents. The agency announced this after a €120 million fine was imposed on the platform.

> “X proposed measures to address the ‘blue check’ issue. The commission will now conduct a thorough assessment of the proposed measures,” said Thomas Régnier, a representative of the European Commission. He did not disclose details of the new scheme, and X has yet to comment on the news (Bloomberg).

Brief history of conflicts

* December 2023 – The European Commission fined X for violating content moderation rules and the Digital Services Act (DSA). In particular, a paid subscription gave access to account verification (“blue check”), which the agency deemed misleading to users.

* The core issue was that previously only profiles that could be targets of fraud (journalists, public figures, and other celebrities) received the blue check. Musk decided to make this feature paid, but it led users to continue trusting such accounts as reliable.

Additional complaints from the European Commission

* Lack of transparency in advertising processes on X.
* Refusal by the platform to provide independent researchers with data access.

As a result, the company was ordered to resolve the blue check issue by March 12, or periodic fines would be imposed. The one-time fine has already been appealed; X must either pay it or provide a financial guarantee by March 16.

US reaction

In response to the European Commission’s measures, US authorities accused the EU of censorship and introduced visa restrictions for former European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who oversaw the technology sector until 2024, as well as for several activists.