The EU has charged that Elon Musk's social media platform X is in breach of the Digital Services Act, claiming certain services lack transparency and make the company eligible for a fine.
An investigation found that the technology company formerly known as Twitter has questionable practices related to its advertising, access to public data and its blue checkmark that indicates a verified account, preliminary findings from the European Commission showed on Friday.
If confirmed, California-based X will face a fine of up to 6 per cent of its annual revenue, as laid out by the DSA's guidelines, the commission said.
That would mean a penalty of as much as $287.4 million, if based on eMarketer's forecast that X's revenue will hit $4.79 billion in 2024.
“In our view, X does not comply with the DSA in key transparency areas, by using dark patterns and thus misleading users, by failing to provide an adequate ad repository, and by blocking access to data for researchers,” Margrethe Vestager, an executive vice president at the commission and its senior competition official, wrote in the report.
“The DSA has transparency at its very core and we are determined to ensure that all platforms, including X, comply with EU legislation.”
Mr Musk, the world's wealthiest person, responded on X, saying that “the DSA is misinformation” and alleged – without evidence – that the commission offered a deal that would spare companies from fines.
“The European Commission offered X an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us. The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not,” he said.
That triggered a back-and-forth with Thierry Breton, the EU's commissioner for internal market, throwing the ball back in Mr Musk's court.
“There has never been – and will never be – any 'secret deal'. With anyone. The DSA provides X [and any large platform] with the possibility to offer commitments to settle a case. To be extra clear: it’s *YOUR* team who asked the commission to explain the process for settlement and to clarify our concerns,” Mr Breton said.
“We did it in line with established regulatory procedures. Up to you to decide whether to offer commitments or not. That is how rule of law procedures work. See you (in court or not).”
Mr Musk said X would “look forward to a very public battle in court, so that the people of Europe can know the truth”.
The EU approved the milestone DSA in April 2022 and was enforced last February 17, aimed at regulating online content on platforms owned by big technology companies, which face billions of dollars in fines if they do not comply with requirements.
This year, the commission has already opened formal proceedings against TikTok in February and April, AliExpress in March, and Facebook parent Meta Platforms in April and May.
“Transparency and accountability in relation to content moderation and advertising are at the heart of the DSA,” the commission said.
The commission claims that X's verified accounts with the blue checkmark deceives users because anyone can now obtain it by signing up for a premium subscription, compared to the pre-Musk era when it was only reserved for global leaders, journalists and companies, while also being subject to approval.
The change to the blue badge was among the sweeping changes Mr Musk made after he completed his $44 billion purchase of the company in 2022.
“Back in the day, blue checks used to mean trustworthy sources of information. Now with X, our preliminary view is that they deceive users and infringe the DSA,” Mr Breton wrote in the report.
“We also consider that X’s ads repository and conditions for data access by researchers are not in line with the DSA transparency requirements. X has now the right of defence – but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes.”
In addition, the commission said X does not comply with the required transparency on advertising and the way it is designed does not allow the “required supervision and research into emerging risks brought about by the distribution of advertising online”, and that it does not grant researchers access to its public data.
“We also consider that X’s ads repository and conditions for data access by researchers are not in line with the DSA transparency requirements,” Mr Breton said.
The commission does not have a timeline on when their findings will be confirmed, which would come with any corresponding fine it would decide upon.
“X has now the right of defence – but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes,” Mr Breton said.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Available: Now
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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'Hocus%20Pocus%202'
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
57%20Seconds
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MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.