X (formerly Twitter) has proposed changes to its blue checkmark verification system after being fined €120 million ($138 million) by the European Commission for breaching the bloc’s digital regulations.
According to EU officials, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk submitted proposed remedies aimed at addressing concerns over the design and use of the blue verification badge.
Speaking on Friday, EU digital affairs spokesperson Thomas Regnier confirmed the submission, saying regulators are now reviewing the proposals.
“X has submitted remedies in relation to its blue checkmark. The Commission will now carefully assess the proposed remedies,” Regnier said.
He did not disclose details of the changes suggested by the company.
EU penalised platform over “deceptive design”
The fine, issued in December, followed an investigation that found the platform violated rules under the Digital Services Act by using what regulators described as a deceptive design for the blue verification badge.
The EU said the system could mislead users by failing to clearly distinguish between identity verification and paid subscriptions.
Before Musk acquired the platform in 2022, the blue checkmark on the then-Twitter was typically granted free of charge to public figures such as journalists, politicians, and celebrities to confirm their identities.
After the takeover, the platform introduced a subscription model that allowed users to pay for verification badges, a move that sparked criticism from regulators and digital rights advocates.
EU expects fine payment
Regnier said the European Commission welcomed the submission of remedies after discussions with the company, noting that failure to propose corrective measures could have exposed X to additional financial penalties.
Despite the appeal filed by the company, the EU still expects the platform to pay the €120 million fine by Monday, officials said.
Further scrutiny under EU rules
The penalty was the first issued under the EU’s Digital Services Act following an investigation launched in December 2023.
The probe is still ongoing as regulators examine how the platform handles illegal content, misinformation, and manipulation of information.
Separately, the EU recently opened another DSA investigation into the platform’s AI chatbot, Grok AI chatbot, following controversy over the generation of sexualised deepfake images involving women and minors.
EU authorities say the investigations form part of broader efforts to ensure major online platforms comply with the bloc’s strict digital safety rules.
