Willem Marx The fines were for violations including what the EU calls a misleading use of the blue check mark on users' profiles. Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption EU takes Elon Musk's X to court over blue checks and ads Europe's preference had not been to fine X, said the spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, as he drew a contrast with the Chinese-owned platform TikTok. Regnier announced Friday that TikTok had separately offered concessions that would allow it to avoid such penalties. "If you engage constructively with the Commission, we settle cases," Regnier said at a press conference in Brussels. "If you do not, we take action." The possibility that X would face financial penalties in Europe had drawn significant political fire, not only from Musk but also from others in Washington, D.C., over the past two years since the European Commission began its investigation. Sponsor Message "Rumors swirling that the EU commission will fine X hundreds of millions of dollars for not engaging in censorship," Vice President Vance wrote on X Thursday. "The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage." In July 2024, in a set of preliminary findings, the European Commission formally accused X — which serves more than 100 million users within the EU — of several violations. These included its failure to meet transparency mandates, obstructing researchers' access to data, and misleading users by converting the blue verification badge into a paid subscription feature. Musk has long stated his intention to legally challenge any EU sanctions, rather than make concessions to resolve the investigation. Nonetheless, the company could have faced far higher financial penalties, with European authorities able under new legislation — known as the Digital Services Act — to fine offenders 6% of their worldwide annual revenue, which in this case could have included several other of Musk's companies, including SpaceX. The fine announcement follows months of accusations from activists and trade experts that authorities in Brussels were deliberately easing up on enforcement to appease Trump. Musk was a prominent supporter of Trump's campaign and spent several months this past spring serving as an administration adviser and the public face of the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Sponsor Message The willingness to take on Musk's business empire could serve as a critical test of the EU's determination, especially in light of President Trump's previous threats of tariffs over the bloc's fines against U.S. technology giants. The confrontation highlights a growing division over the concept of digital sovereignty, which has transformed long-standing allies into competitors as Europe strives to establish itself as the global authority for digital regulation, and the Trump administration pushes back against perceived curbs on U.S. companies' profits and freedom of expression. So, experts warn, this direct punitive action against Musk's businesses carries the risk of U.S. retaliation, even though the EU remains heavily dependent on American technology for a range of sectors.