The European Commission tried to force X (formerly Twitter) into an illegal secret agreement to censor speech, Elon Musk revealed on Friday. According to Musk, the EU promised to waive massive fines if X quietly removed ‘misinformation’ without public disclosure.
Musk accused the European Commission of wanting X to hire hundreds in the EU to unilaterally remove content deemed ‘misinformation.’ The company would have no say in these decisions. Musk stated that other platforms accepted this deal, but X did not.
EU commissioner Thierry Breton criticized the blue check verification system, saying it now violates the Digital Services Act because anyone can subscribe, making it less trustworthy. The EC threatened fines and significant changes.
The Digital Services Act aims to create a safe online environment, but Musk argues it infringes on free speech. If the EC’s preliminary findings lead to enforcement actions, Musk plans to take the Commission to court.
The DSA, effective since February, threatens fines up to 6% of annual revenue for companies failing to remove illegal content. What’s illegal varies by country, adding complexity and potential overreach by the EU.
The EC also accused X of not complying with advertising transparency and blocking researcher access to public data, both violating the DSA. Musk’s defiance echoes a similar stance against Brazilian lawmakers earlier this year.
The EC’s findings against X are still preliminary, but fines could reach 6% of global revenue if confirmed. The main instigator of this move is EU’s very own Margrethe Vestager (Danish citizen).
Why don’t you drop a Tweet and tell Margrethe Vestager what you think 
https://x.com/vestager/status/1766052738792640878
