EU to fine X for Digital Services Act violations over content moderation
European Union regulators are preparing major penalties against X for violating the Digital Services Act, reportedly over the platform's failure to adequately control illegal hate speech and disinformation. The fine could exceed $1 billion and is expected to be announced this summer, marking the first enforcement under the law.
What happened
European Union regulators are preparing major penalties against X for violating the Digital Services Act, with fines expected to be announced this summer. The investigation began in 2023 and regulators issued a preliminary ruling that X had violated the law.
EU officials are building a case that X's hands-off approach to policing user-generated content has made it a hub of illegal hate speech, disinformation and other material viewed as undercutting democracy across the 27-nation bloc. X also faces a second broader EU investigation that could lead to further penalties.
Reported impact
The fine could surpass $1 billion, with regulators seeking to make an example of X to deter other companies from violating the law. The penalties are expected to include a fine and demands for product changes.
Governance controls
The EU and X could still reach a settlement if the company agrees to changes that satisfy regulators' concerns. European authorities have been weighing how large a fine to issue X as they consider the risks of further antagonizing the United States amid wider trans-Atlantic disputes over trade, tariffs and the war in Ukraine.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.