In an unprecedented escalation of tensions between tech giants and regulators, X has terminated the European Commission’s advertising capabilities on its platform. This decisive action comes merely days after the social media company owned by Elon Musk received a landmark €120 million penalty from EU authorities for violations of the Digital Services Act.
The conflict ignited when Nikita Bier, a senior X executive, publicly accused the EU regulator of attempting to exploit a vulnerability within the platform’s advertising mechanism. Bier asserted that the Commission had utilized a seldom-active account to artificially amplify reach for a post discussing the substantial fine, characterizing this maneuver as an abuse of system protocols. “It seems you believe that the rules should not apply to your account,” Bier stated unequivocally. “Your ad account has been terminated.”
The European Commission responded through an official spokesperson, maintaining that their actions were conducted “always in good faith” and utilizing standard corporate tools provided by the platform itself. The spokesperson emphasized expectations that these tools should comply with both platform terms and the broader EU legislative framework.
This confrontation stems from Friday’s groundbreaking penalty—the first ever levied under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Regulators determined that X’s revised blue verification system employs “deceptive” practices by no longer conducting meaningful user verification. This approach, according to official statements, “exposes users to scams, including impersonation frauds, as well as other forms of manipulation by malicious actors.”
Additional concerns raised by the EU include insufficient advertising transparency and restricted data access for academic researchers. X now faces a 60-day window to address these issues regarding blue checkmarks or confront further penalties.
The dispute has rapidly evolved into a transatlantic diplomatic matter. Elon Musk personally advocated for the abolition of the EU via his platform, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission accused European regulators of targeting American companies with censorship tactics.
This incident represents merely the latest chapter in X’s ongoing conflicts with global regulators. The platform previously faced restrictions in Brazil related to misinformation dissemination and penalties in Australia concerning child protection protocols, indicating a persistent pattern of regulatory challenges across international jurisdictions.