EU Plans Billion-Dollar Fine Against Elon Musk’s X for Disinformation, Illegal Content Violations

Brussels, April 4, 2025 — European Union regulators are preparing to impose major penalties on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, citing violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA), according to a report by The New York Times. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the penalties could include a hefty fine — possibly exceeding $1 billion — and mandates for significant platform reforms.

The EU’s forthcoming action would mark the first enforcement under the DSA, which obliges tech giants to more aggressively moderate illegal content and disinformation. Official announcements are expected this summer. The penalties come amid rising tensions with the United States, where X enjoys strong backing from President Donald Trump, one of Musk’s closest allies.

X has been under investigation since December 2023 for allegedly failing to prevent the spread of hate speech, false information, and biased content promotion. EU officials say X may have amplified far-right content and provided disproportionate visibility to select political voices. The European Commission completed its initial probe in January 2025 and demanded internal algorithm documents by February 15.

Despite geopolitical concerns, EU regulators say the investigation is proceeding independently of Trump’s recent tariff policies and international disputes. The European Commission maintains that all companies are held equally accountable under the DSA.

While a final decision is pending, negotiations for a potential settlement remain open. X may avoid full penalties if it agrees to overhaul its systems to address EU concerns. Still, a broader probe is underway, suggesting more trouble could lie ahead for the platform.

A Commission spokesperson emphasized the EU’s commitment to fair and transparent enforcement but declined to comment directly on the case.