The blue checkmarks of X are not what they seem

A European Commission inquiry into the controversy surrounding blue checks on X Premium users and its violation of the Digital Services Act: EU Commissioner Breton

Blue checks, which appear next to account names of X Premium subscribers, have been the subject of controversy since Musk acquired the platform in 2022. “Back in the day, BlueChecks used to mean trustworthy sources of information. Now with X, our preliminary view is that they deceive users and infringe the DSA,” EU internal market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a statement. If the view we have is confirmed, we will impose fines and require significant changes.

The X reprimand is the latest in a flurry issued to Big Tech companies by Brussels, as European regulators leverage new rules designed to curb tech giants’ market power and improve the way they operate. The EU did not give X a deadline to respond to its findings.

The EU ramps up enforcement of strict rules for large tech companies. DSA probes have been launched to determine if Meta has done enough to moderate the political, deceptive, and illegal content on Facebook or safeguard the children who use the platform.

The use of payment to verify accounts violates the EU’s Digital Services Act because it negatively affects users’ ability to make free and informed decisions about the authenticity of accounts, the European Commission said on Friday. X has a chance to respond to the findings. The company could face fines of up to 6 percent of its global turnover if Musk can not reach a resolution with the EU.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used blue checks to verify their identity before Musk took over. Blue checks were a common occurrence among active researchers and journalists, signaling that they were reliable sources of information.

The supporters of that system argued it helped users identify genuine voices while limiting imposters. But Musk decried the arrangement as elitist and “corrupt to the core.” The ability to buy a blue tick for $8 per month was, he said, an antidote to “Twitter’s current lords & peasants” set-up. Power to the people! he posted, as he announced the new subscriber model.

Apple, Microsoft, and Meta aren’t breaking EU rules: a response to the Twitter-Newsletter and Apple’s monopoly case

In the past month, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta have all been accused of breaking EU rules. Meta and Apple must resolve their cases before March 2025 to avoid fines. Yesterday, Apple said it would make its Tap and Go wallet technology available to rivals, in its latest concession to local regulator demands.