- X submitted proposed remedies for its blue checkmark system after a €120 million EU fine over alleged digital regulation breaches
- The European Commission confirmed it will assess the remedies and warned X of ongoing penalties if unresolved
- The platform’s verification changes come amid scrutiny over paid verification, disinformation, and AI chatbot deepfake concerns
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has proposed changes to its blue checkmark system for “verified” accounts, a European Commission spokesperson confirmed on Friday, following a €120 million ($138 million) fine imposed on the company.
The European Union had levied the fine in December for breaches of its digital regulations, including the platform’s allegedly “deceptive design” of the verification checkmark.
“X has submitted remedies in relation to its blue checkmark. The commission will now carefully assess the proposed remedies,” said Thomas Regnier. He did not provide specifics on the remedies X proposed.
Regnier noted that X risked ongoing financial penalties if no remedial action had been submitted. “We have to value the fact that after a constructive exchange with the company, the company has taken its obligation seriously and has submitted us remedies,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Attempts to reach X for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
Traditionally, blue checkmarks—previously free under Twitter—signalled verified identities, typically for public figures such as celebrities, journalists, and politicians, helping to foster trust on the platform. However, since Musk acquired the platform, users have been able to pay for verification.
X announced in February that it had filed an appeal with the EU’s top court, challenging the fine—the first ever issued under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Despite the appeal, the European Commission expects X to pay the fine by Monday and to submit further remedies addressing other alleged breaches by 28 April.
The fine stems from a probe initiated in December 2023. EU regulators continue to examine X’s handling of illegal content and the spread of disinformation.
X has frequently come under scrutiny from EU authorities. In January, the 27-member bloc launched another DSA investigation into the company’s AI chatbot, Grok, after the system was found generating sexualised deepfake images of women and minors, sparking global condemnation.
The outcome of the current remedies assessment could determine whether X faces additional penalties or regulatory measures under the EU’s digital oversight framework.