The European Commission on Friday imposed fines totaling 120 million euros (nearly 140 million U.S. dollars) on Elon Musk's social media platform X for breaching transparency obligations in its first non-compliance decision under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
This marks the first time the European Union's executive arm has issued such a non-compliance ruling under the DSA, which came into force in 2022 and took full effect last February. The act regulates online intermediaries and platforms to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and stop the spread of disinformation.
According to the Commission's press release, the penalty stems from three distinct breaches of the DSA, including the deceptive design of X's "blue checkmark" feature, a lack of transparency in its advertising repository, and the platform's failure to provide researchers with access to public data.
The use of the blue checkmark, which any user can obtain by paying, to designate "verified accounts" exposes users to scams, including impersonation fraud and other forms of manipulation, according to the Commission.
It added that X's advertisement repository fails to meet the DSA's transparency and accessibility requirements, and that the platform also falls short of its obligation to provide researchers with access to its public data.
The decision follows formal proceedings opened in December 2023 to examine whether X breached the DSA in areas related to illegal content dissemination and measures to counter information manipulation, for which the investigation continues.
X is not the only U.S. tech company to come under heavy scrutiny from the European Commission.
On Thursday, the Commission opened a formal antitrust investigation into Mark Zuckerberg's Meta organization over a new policy that could limit artificial intelligence providers' access to the popular WhatsApp messaging service.
The Commission also announced a new investigation into Google last month, after slapping a 2.95-billion-euro fine on the internet giant for antitrust violations in the online advertising sector in September.
The United States has repeatedly criticized the EU's regulatory measures as being targeted at American companies, while Google, Amazon, and other major firms have recently said they will file appeals against the latest EU regulatory decisions.
EU hits Elon Musk's X social media platform with 120 mln euro fine
EU hits Elon Musk's X social media platform with 120 mln euro fine
Palestine appreciates China's constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the Palestinian issue, Ambassador of Palestine to China Jawad Mohammed Qutish Awad said in Beijing on Friday.
When jointly meeting the press with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron in Beijing on Thursday, President Xi Jinping announced China will provide 100 million U.S. dollars of assistance to Palestine to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support its recovery and reconstruction.
"Following two years of devastating war, over 90 percent of Gaza Strip's housing, infrastructure, hospitals, roads, and universities have been destroyed. China has consistently supported Palestine in various fields such as politics, economy, and development. This generous donation comes as timely aid for the Palestinian government and people," said the ambassador in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
More than 70,000 Palestinian people have been killed since the conflict in Gaza erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with millions suffering from extreme poverty and catastrophic hunger.
China has reiterated its support for the Palestinian liberation cause on multiple international occasions, firmly believing that the two-state solution remains the only realistic path to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Through channels including the United Nations, Egypt, and Jordan, China has provided multiple batches of emergency humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip and extended material and financial support to the Palestinian Authority and other relevant parties. China has also emphasized that it is important to uphold the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine" in the post-conflict governance of Gaza.
"We attach great importance to China's support for the two-state solution. Without the establishment of the State of Palestine, regional stability cannot be achieved. Gaza must be an inalienable part of the future Palestinian state. I would also like to reiterate here that the State of Palestine firmly supports the one-China principle," Jawad said.
China, one of the first countries to recognize the State of Palestine, established the strategic partnership with Palestine in 2023.
After countries including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada recognized the State of Palestine in September this year, the number of countries in the international community recognizing the State of Palestine has reached nearly 160, accounting for over 81 percent of the United Nations member states.
An increasing number of countries are looking to advance a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza through cooperation.
Jawad said that the China-proposed Global Governance Initiative offers the international community a more effective path to resolving the Palestinian issue.
"This initiative aligns with the strategic agreements between Palestine and China, contributing to ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory and establishing the State of Palestine across all Palestinian territory. Without a just resolution to the Palestinian issue, neither the world nor the Middle East can achieve stability. The key to a just resolution lies in the implementation of international law," he said.
Palestine appreciates China's role in promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace process: ambassador
