X’s Blue Checkmarks Fall Under Scrutiny by the EU
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Photo: Getty Images
The European Union has issued a warning to X, stating that its blue checkmark verification system is in violation of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The EU finds this system to be deceptive for users and against established industry practices. Additionally, an investigation into the platform revealed that X is not complying with transparency obligations concerning advertising and the provision of public data to researchers.
This marks the first occasion where a company has been formally accused of breaching the DSA under the EU’s preliminary findings. In response, X now has the opportunity to defend itself.
According to the EU’s press release, changes made to X’s blue check system — which now allows any user to pay to be “verified” — hinder users from accurately determining the authenticity and credibility of accounts.
source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/12/24197028/x-blue-checkmarks-deceptive-eu-dsa-formal-warning