Elon Musk's X bans European Commission from making ads after €120m fine

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete December 8, 2025 at 01:19 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

X, owned by Elon Musk, has blocked the European Commission from advertising on its platform after being fined €120 million by the EU for its blue tick system. The EU regulator deemed X's blue checkmarks "deceptive" due to a lack of meaningful user verification, potentially exposing users to scams and manipulation. Nikita Bier, a senior figure at X, accused the Commission of exploiting the platform's advertising system to promote its post about the fine. The Commission denies any wrongdoing, stating it uses social media tools in good faith and expects them to comply with platform terms. X has 60 days to address the EU's concerns regarding its blue checkmarks or face further penalties.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States 50% X (social media platform) ×460% European Commission ×370% Elon Musk ×480%

Keywords

european commission 90% x (formerly twitter) 90% advertising ban 80% blue tick badges 70% digital services act 70% elon musk 60% eu regulator 60% scams 50% fines 50% transparency 50%