The United States has strongly criticized the European Union after the European Commission fined Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, €120 million (£105 million) over its use of paid blue tick verification.
The EU said that X’s practice of allowing users to pay for a blue verified badge misleads people, as the platform does not conduct meaningful identity verification. According to the Commission, this system exposes users to scams, impersonation fraud, and online manipulation by malicious actors.
The move sparked sharp backlash from US officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the fine “an attack on American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments,” adding that “the days of censoring Americans online are over.” Elon Musk reshared the statement, responding “absolutely.”
FCC Chair Brendan Carr also accused the EU of unfairly targeting X simply because it is a successful American company. He claimed that Europe is “taxing Americans” to compensate for what he described as Europe’s “suffocating regulations.” His comments echoed earlier criticism by US Vice President JD Vance, who said the platform was being punished for “not engaging in censorship.”
Digital media expert Matt Navarra said the fine represents more than just a penalty, calling it a strong signal of the EU’s determination to strictly enforce its technology regulations.
Alongside the blue tick issue, EU regulators accused X of failing to ensure transparency in advertising practices and restricting researchers’ access to public data. Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, said the company was undermining users’ rights and avoiding accountability.
The ruling requires X to submit a plan explaining how it will comply with EU law or face additional, recurring fines.
This marks the first formal non-compliance decision under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law that sets rules for platform responsibility over content, data, and advertising. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) also governs fair competition practices among large tech firms.
The decision has intensified global debate over the balance between free speech, platform responsibility, and government regulation of big tech.
