EU judges that X ‘deceives users’ with blue checks [Video]

X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, has been found in breach of the EU’s Digital Services Act for “deceiving users” with its system for verifying accounts.

The European Commission said that X designs and operates in ‘Blue checkmark’ systems in a way that “does not correspond to industry practice and deceives users.”

Since the site was taken over by Elon Musk in a $44bn two years ago, X has opened up verified status to users on a subscription basis, whereas before it was limited to celebrities, officials, journalists and notable persons working in public life.

The Commission said the new regime “negatively affects users’ ability to make free and informed decisions about the authenticity of the accounts and the content they interact with.

“There is evidence of motivated malicious actors abusing the ‘verified account’ to deceive users,” it added.

The Commission also found that X does not comply with rules on transparency in advertising as it …