Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
The European Union has imposed a fine exceeding €100 million on the social media platform X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, marking the first penalty issued under the bloc’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA). The decision has triggered sharp criticism from the United States, deepening transatlantic tensions over the regulation of major technology companies.
EU regulators levied a €120 million ($140 million) fine against X after a two-year investigation concluded the platform failed to meet the bloc’s standards for moderating illegal and harmful online content. The DSA, introduced to curb disinformation and strengthen accountability among large platforms, requires major tech firms to implement rigorous systems to detect, report, and remove illicit material.
While X faced substantial penalties, rival platform TikTok managed to avoid sanctions by agreeing to a series of compliance concessions demanded by EU authorities. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, had earlier been accused of breaching DSA rules by running an advertising repository that allegedly allowed researchers and users to identify potentially fraudulent content.
The U.S. government reacted strongly to Brussels’ decision. The administration of President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Europe’s tightening oversight of Silicon Valley firms, arguing that the measures disproportionately target American companies and could restrict digital freedoms.
U.S. Outrage Over EU Action
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the EU’s decision, calling it “an attack on the American people by foreign governments.” Posting on X, he argued that the €120 million penalty was not only directed at Musk’s company, but at all American technology platforms. Rubio added that what he described as an era of “European censorship imposed on Americans online” must come to an end.
Brendan Carr, a senior member of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, echoed the criticism. Writing on X, he accused the EU of repeatedly penalizing successful American tech firms simply for their success. He argued that Europe’s regulatory environment had stifled innovation and was now attempting to “tax Americans to support a continent held back by its own suffocating rules.”
EU Defends Digital Standards
In response, the European Commission insisted that its regulations are nationality-neutral and designed to uphold digital safety, competition, and democratic standards. EU officials stressed that large technology platforms regardless of their country of origin, must comply with rules intended to protect users from misinformation, harmful content, and predatory advertising.
The fine imposed on X represents a significant test of the Digital Services Act, widely regarded as one of the most ambitious regulatory frameworks governing the modern internet. The legislation is expected to shape global norms as governments grapple with the influence of social media platforms on public discourse.
As investigations continue into TikTok and other major online services, the EU’s assertive enforcement of digital rules is likely to fuel further friction with Washington, adding a new layer of complexity to already delicate U.S.–EU relations over trade, data protection, and technological sovereignty.
