X Deactivates EU Ad Account After Fine Sparks Tension
X has deactivated the European Commission’s advertising account after a tense public clash. The move follows a €120 million fine issued under the EU’s Digital Services Act. The penalty claimed that X’s blue check system misleads users and exposes them to impersonation risks. The Commission also said X failed to meet transparency rules for ads.
The company now has strict deadlines. It must address concerns about paid verification within 60 days. It also needs to correct issues in its ad repository within 90 days. Otherwise, it may face further action.
Reactions escalated quickly. Elon Musk criticized the fine and shared harsh comments about the EU. However, X leaders insist that the ad account deactivation is unrelated to the penalty. Instead, they accuse the Commission of misusing a platform tool.
Nikita Bier, X’s Head of Product, said the Commission used a dormant ad account to exploit the Ad Composer. He claimed the tool let the Commission publish a link that looked like a video. As a result, the post received increased reach. He argued that this violated platform rules.
Bier announced that X has “terminated” the ad account.
He added that the exploit had never been used this way before. X has now patched the issue.
The European Commission responded with its own statement. Officials said they use platform tools in good faith. They also noted that they stopped paid advertising on X in 2023. That suspension remains in place.
This dispute adds new friction to the long-running conversation between major platforms and European regulators. It also raises fresh questions about trust, responsibility, and transparency online. As the situation evolves, many are watching to see how both sides respond next.
