BRUSSELS – Elon Musk has launched a fierce attack on the European Union after regulators imposed a €120 million fine on his social media platform X, accusing the bloc of overreach and calling for its abolition.
The penalty, announced on 5 December, marks the first major enforcement action under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), legislation designed to hold large technology companies accountable for transparency and content moderation.
Officials said X breached multiple obligations, including the “deceptive design” of its blue checkmark system, insufficient advertising transparency, and failure to provide researchers with access to public data.
Musk responded with a series of posts to his 230 million followers, writing: “The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people.” In another post, he added: “I love Europe, but not the bureaucratic monster that is the EU.”
The fine has sparked a transatlantic dispute. Senior figures in the Trump administration condemned the decision, framing it as an attack on American technology firms.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the penalty was “an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments”.
European officials defended the ruling, insisting that the DSA is essential to protect users from misleading practices and ensure accountability.
The Commission highlighted that X’s paid verification system misled consumers by blurring the distinction between authentic and purchased identities, while its lack of advertising transparency undermined safeguards against scams and disinformation.
Industry analysts note that Musk’s remarks are likely to intensify tensions between Brussels and Washington, particularly given his close alignment with President Donald Trump.
The episode underscores the growing friction between Big Tech platforms and regulators over how digital spaces should be governed.
While Musk’s comments drew support from some online users, critics accused him of attempting to deflect responsibility by politicising the issue.
The EU has signalled that further investigations into X’s handling of illegal content and disinformation are ongoing, suggesting that this fine may be only the beginning of broader regulatory action.
Sources: Euro Weekly News, Khaama Press, Al Jazeera, TechCrunch
