Finance
Musk's X to change verification system in Europe, Bloomberg news reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 12, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 13, 2026
Quick Summary
X has agreed to propose changes to its EU “blue check” verification system following a €120 million fine imposed under the Digital Services Act—the first penalty issued under the EU’s new digital rules.
Musk's X submits remedies relating to its blue check mark, EU spokesperson says
EU Fines and X's Response to Blue Checkmark Verification
March 13 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's social media platform X has submitted remedies in relation to its blue checkmark verification feature following a fine of 120 million euros ($137.63 million), a European Commission spokesperson said on Friday.
EU tech regulators fined X in December for breaching online content rules, the first such action under a landmark legislation that drew criticism from the U.S. government.
Details of the Blue Checkmark Controversy
Here are the details:
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Assessment of Proposed Remedies
The Commission will now carefully assess the proposed remedies, European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier added, without giving details.
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X's Immediate Response
X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
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Background of the EU Action
Digital Services Act Investigation
The EU action 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.
Charges Against X
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.
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Changes to Verification Mechanism
Bloomberg News first reported on Thursday that X has agreed to change its verification mechanism in the European Union.
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Evolution of the Blue Checkmark
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, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.8719 euros)
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Angela Christy; Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Harikrishnan Nair)
Key Takeaways
- •The €120 million fine is the EU’s first enforcement action under the DSA, targeting deceptive design of X’s blue‑check verification, ad transparency, and researcher data access (techcrunch.com).
- •X submitted proposed remedies to the European Commission, which will now evaluate whether these changes sufficiently address compliance gaps (techtimes.com).
- •X has appealed the fine, calling the investigation flawed, and the outcome may set a precedent for future DSA enforcement across major platforms (brusselstimes.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Musk's X to change verification system in Europe, Bloomberg News reports
1Why was X fined by the European Union?
X was fined 120 million euros for breaching online content rules under the EU's Digital Services Act.
2What changes is X making to its verification system in Europe?
X agreed to submit remedies related to its blue checkmark verification feature following the EU fine.
3Who announced the changes to X's verification mechanism?
A European Commission spokesperson confirmed that X had submitted remedies for assessment.
4What did the EU allege about X's blue checkmark?
The EU said X’s blue checkmark did not follow industry practices and allowed anyone to buy verification.
5When did Elon Musk acquire X?
Elon Musk acquired X (formerly Twitter) in 2022 for $44 billion.