EU accuses Elon Musk's X of deceptive practices over blue 'checkmark'

The European Union has accused Elon Musk's social media company, X, of deceptive practices related to allowing users to acquire a blue checkmark, previously reserved for verified accounts. The EU's preliminary findings from an investigation initiated last year suggest that X's decision to let anyone pay for the checkmark breaches the bloc's Digital Services Act, impacting users' ability to discern authentic accounts and content. If confirmed, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover. The Digital Services Act imposes new obligations on major online platforms, including transparency in content moderation and advertising practices. X allegedly failed to comply with various aspects of the DSA, such as prohibiting deceptive user manipulation techniques and ensuring data access for researchers. The EU's French commissioner for the internal market highlighted concerns about X's practices not aligning with transparency requirements. X has the opportunity to defend itself, but potential fines and significant changes may be imposed if the EU's stance is upheld. This marks the first investigation of a company under the EU's digital regulations.