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Stock Markets March 12, 2026

X to Revise EU Verification System After 120 Million Euro Fine, Commission Says

European Commission will review proposed remedies to the platform's paid verification feature following a sanction under the Digital Services Act

By Jordan Park
X to Revise EU Verification System After 120 Million Euro Fine, Commission Says

X has agreed to alter its blue check verification process in the European Union after being fined 120 million euros. The move follows a two-year investigation under the EU's Digital Services Act; the commission will evaluate the remedies submitted by X, a spokesperson told Bloomberg News. Regulators previously said the platform misled users by converting verification from identity confirmation to a paid subscription benefit.

Key Points

  • X submitted remedies to change its blue check verification feature in the EU after a 120 million euro fine; the European Commission will evaluate the proposals - impacts technology and social media sectors.
  • The fine was the first enforcement action under the Digital Services Act following a two-year investigation into how X labels verified accounts - underscores regulatory scrutiny of online platforms.
  • Regulators had argued that X shifted the blue check from identity verification to a paid subscription status, a change implemented after the platform's ownership changed in 2022 - relevant to governance and consumer trust in digital services.

Summary: X has submitted changes to its verification process in the European Union after being penalized 120 million euros, a European Commission spokesperson told Bloomberg News. The commission will examine the proposed remedies as part of an enforcement action under the bloc's Digital Services Act.

X, the social media company owned by Elon Musk, has agreed to alter how it handles its blue check verification mark within the EU following a 120 million euro fine, according to a statement attributed to a spokesperson for the European Commission in a Bloomberg News report on Thursday. The sanction stems from a prolonged inquiry under the Digital Services Act, the EU's framework for online platform accountability.

Details provided in the Bloomberg account indicate that Thomas Regnier, the commission spokesperson cited in the report, said X filed remedial measures specifically tied to its blue check verification feature. Regnier also noted that the commission will review those remedies as part of its enforcement responsibilities.

The fine, imposed in December, represented the first penalty under the DSA and followed a roughly two-year investigation. In July 2024 the European Commission accused X of deceiving users by converting the blue checkmark from a symbol of verified identity to a status available through payment. At that time the commission said the checkmark no longer matched industry practice because anyone could pay to receive a so-called "verified" status.

Historically, the blue checkmark indicated that an account linked to a public figure had an identity verified by the platform. After acquiring the service in 2022, Musk changed the checkmark to denote paid subscription status rather than verified identity. Musk purchased the company, formerly known as Twitter, for 44 billion dollars.

The Bloomberg report also noted that neither the European Commission nor X immediately responded to requests for comment submitted to Reuters. Regnier's remarks as relayed in the report focused on the submission of remedies and the commission's forthcoming assessment of those proposals.

Context note: The commission's assessment will determine whether the remedies adequately address concerns identified during the investigation under the Digital Services Act. The outcome of that review is not detailed in the report.

Risks

  • Uncertainty over the European Commission's assessment of the proposed remedies - regulatory outcome could require further operational changes and affect platform compliance costs; impacts technology and compliance sectors.
  • Potential reputational and user-trust consequences if the remedies are judged insufficient, which could influence user behavior and advertiser confidence; impacts social media and advertising markets.
  • Ongoing regulatory scrutiny under the Digital Services Act creates continued legal and operational uncertainty for online platforms operating in the EU; impacts broader technology and legal advisory services.

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