![The European Commission and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment [File]](https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/ab89wo/article70737870.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/2026-01-09T010550Z_416461591_RC2PVCA43QZ5_RTRMADP_3_XAI-RESULTS.JPG "The European Commission and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment [File]")
Elon Musk’s social media company X has agreed to change its verification mechanism in the European Union following a fine of 120 million euros, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing a European Commission spokesperson.
X was fined in December by EU tech regulators for breaching online content rules, the first sanction under a landmark legislation that drew criticism from the U.S. government.
The Bloomberg report quoted European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier saying that X submitted remedies in relation to its blue check mark verification feature.
The European Commission and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Regnier said the commission will assess the proposed remedies, according to the report.
The EU sanction against X had followed a two-year-long investigation under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content.
The European Commission in July 2024 had charged X with deceiving users, saying that the blue checkmark does not correspond to industry practices and that anyone can pay to get a “verified” status.
The blue checkmark had previously indicated that an account belonged to a public figure whose identity was verified, but Musk changed it to indicate it belonged to a paid subscriber after acquiring X in 2022.
Musk acquired X, formerly known as Twitter, for $44 billion.
Published - March 13, 2026 09:57 am IST
