What's bizarre about it? There's lots of legislation that requires companies to report on various data or to provide access to auditors. It's legally valid.
I think there's a compelling case to be made for requiring large social media platforms to provide data access to researchers, considering the platform's incredible ability to influence elections and society at-large.
It's because X is denying researchers access to public data. Data which can be used to detect scams and illegal advertising. It's really a consumer protection fine, but this article explains it better.
A lot of people seem to be forgetting that the Cambridge Analytica scandal started off with data that was supposed to be used for research projects at the University of Cambridge being exfiltrated for commercial political use [0].
That said, this is most likely a tit-for-tat by the EU against the Trump administration, because we live in a world where all countries (even the US) have now weaponized regulations for negotiating leverage.
Our red line in both the Biden admin as well as the current admin was the DSA. The EU's red line is not being included in any negotiation over the Russia-Ukraine Conflict. The US fights against the DSA by arguing about infringement on free speech. The EU then tries to fight back over market competition. And it goes on and on and on.
This is why a lot of businesses get antsy about trade wars.
It's not "any company", it's exceptionally large platforms who can give insight into large societal questions and have enough influence to sway people's opinions. The data is technically public already, researchers could scrape it, but investigations has to be able to be done to ensure the platforms aren't used to intentionally steer people's opinion in a specific direction, since they're unable to self regulate that it seems.
They changed the blue check from an exclusive club of the rich and popular, to just Ive got a paying account. How is that misleading? Why does the EU have a say about design choices?
The blue check symbolised (symbolises) being verified, i.e. this account belongs to who it says it does. But it doesn't carry out any/sufficient checks to actually verify that.
I left the EU years ago. Today, I feel way happier and freer. Once you're out, you realize how strongly they were influencing your ability to be free via rules, taxes, news, low salaries, and business start-up costs. Try it yourself if you get the chance.
I earn much more in my 'highly-taxed' Central European city than I'd earn in i. e. Switzerland after all costs are accounted for. Starting my company here cost almost nothing, and hourly rates start at €80. Cost of living is absurdly low compared with earnings - this all in a capital with one of the highest qualities of life on this planet. Schooling and university is completely free and of high quality.
> "Europe is taxing Americans to subsidize a continent held back by Europe’s own suffocating regulations," Carr said.
And America is taxing Americans via tariffs to subsidize a corrupt executive branch lining its own pockets. At least Europe is looking out for a whole continent. Not just a handful of grifters.
> "Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU," said European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen.
I agree. Good EU!
> Pre-empting the announcement on Thursday night, United States Vice President JD Vance that "the EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage."
Sorry, but your garbage has influence outside the US. Keep it to yourself or clean up.
Deception and fraud aren't even protected by the 1st Amendment, and the blue checkmark scheme being pay-to-win is definitely leaning that way, if not just straight up there. Seems the EU thought is just is.
And if you care so much about free speech, maybe you should be more open about those ads of yours?
At this point, X is a propaganda tool for the radical right. I won't miss X in Europe if you decide to remove access to EU. Please, do it.
Mind you, 120M USD is peanuts for Musk. If it were me, I'd just fine X 1.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 USD just because I want to retaliate against Trump's silliness. If you wanna play hardball, expect it back. But, but... freedom of bullshit. You can keep that, we can perfectly use freedom of speech on solid platforms instead.
We... do? Of course, if you'd like to name whatever wars we're a) involved with and b) not fighting ourselves, then that would be splendid.
Anyway, how is that relevant to enforcing the DSA on X?
> We civilized them. And we may have to civilize them again.
What does this even mean? What do you mean by "civilize"? Also this sounds very much like how colonialism and imperialism were justified back in the 19th and 20th centuries.
But again, what does this have to do with X and DSA?
> But until they turn to yet another genocide maybe we should just let the Europeans have at each other.
Russia is currently conducting a genocide over in Ukraine, for example by kidnapping children and bringing them over to Russia and beyond, for example to North Korea.
This is a war crime and also genocidal. So by your admission you ought to be helping.
But again, what does this have to do with X and DSA?
> We can pay them the $150m to let them take care of Ukraine themselves. It was bad enough we had to drag them by the nose to the water. Maybe enough is enough.
We are taking care of Ukraine. Most of the aid is coming from various EU states, and the organisation itself.
Of course, the United States is the largest singular donator and also has donated some very important capabilities to Ukraine, for which people should be and are thankful for, but the claim that Europe isn't doing anything for Ukraine is just false. Could we do more? Absolutely. Should we? Yes. But that doesn't mean that nothing is happening.
But I must ask again, what does this have to do with X or the DSA?
Don't do business in Europe if you don't like it. It's not hard.
And if you must use these kind of loaded terms, insisting you MUST be allowed to do business on YOUR TERMS and your terms alone is pretty much how colonisation started.
The US could just adopt a law which automatically seizes assets from the EU to cover any such fines. Demonstrate where true power lies.
Define this type of action as "bureaucratic piracy". Any rule which preferentially targets US interests over domestic either in its creation or its enforcement. Apply some of that "disparate outcomes" logic.
Aerroon|2 months ago
TheAceOfHearts|2 months ago
I think there's a compelling case to be made for requiring large social media platforms to provide data access to researchers, considering the platform's incredible ability to influence elections and society at-large.
Quothling|2 months ago
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulat...
0815beck|2 months ago
alephnerd|2 months ago
That said, this is most likely a tit-for-tat by the EU against the Trump administration, because we live in a world where all countries (even the US) have now weaponized regulations for negotiating leverage.
Our red line in both the Biden admin as well as the current admin was the DSA. The EU's red line is not being included in any negotiation over the Russia-Ukraine Conflict. The US fights against the DSA by arguing about infringement on free speech. The EU then tries to fight back over market competition. And it goes on and on and on.
This is why a lot of businesses get antsy about trade wars.
[0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook%E2%80%93Cambridge_Ana...
embedding-shape|2 months ago
briandw|2 months ago
jamesrr39|2 months ago
See also: https://x.com/jesus/status/1590405986925543424
rsynnott|2 months ago
Frannky|2 months ago
rcbdev|2 months ago
How do people find so much to complain about?
Ylpertnodi|2 months ago
tw04|2 months ago
And America is taxing Americans via tariffs to subsidize a corrupt executive branch lining its own pockets. At least Europe is looking out for a whole continent. Not just a handful of grifters.
tock|2 months ago
Telaneo|2 months ago
I agree. Good EU!
> Pre-empting the announcement on Thursday night, United States Vice President JD Vance that "the EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage."
Sorry, but your garbage has influence outside the US. Keep it to yourself or clean up.
Deception and fraud aren't even protected by the 1st Amendment, and the blue checkmark scheme being pay-to-win is definitely leaning that way, if not just straight up there. Seems the EU thought is just is.
And if you care so much about free speech, maybe you should be more open about those ads of yours?
ralph84|2 months ago
ChrisArchitect|2 months ago
unknown|2 months ago
[deleted]
Longlius|2 months ago
kaveh_h|2 months ago
His open stance and clear support or rebuke of various political figures and parties around the world is a clear indication of this.
isodev|2 months ago
Fnoord|2 months ago
Mind you, 120M USD is peanuts for Musk. If it were me, I'd just fine X 1.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 USD just because I want to retaliate against Trump's silliness. If you wanna play hardball, expect it back. But, but... freedom of bullshit. You can keep that, we can perfectly use freedom of speech on solid platforms instead.
consumer451|2 months ago
> The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1997279325876367719
https://xcancel.com/elonmusk/status/1997279325876367719
renewiltord|2 months ago
[deleted]
jsiepkes|2 months ago
It's a whole new level of naive if you think the Nazi's would have left the US alone after they were done with Europe.
sham1|2 months ago
We... do? Of course, if you'd like to name whatever wars we're a) involved with and b) not fighting ourselves, then that would be splendid.
Anyway, how is that relevant to enforcing the DSA on X?
> We civilized them. And we may have to civilize them again.
What does this even mean? What do you mean by "civilize"? Also this sounds very much like how colonialism and imperialism were justified back in the 19th and 20th centuries.
But again, what does this have to do with X and DSA?
> But until they turn to yet another genocide maybe we should just let the Europeans have at each other.
Russia is currently conducting a genocide over in Ukraine, for example by kidnapping children and bringing them over to Russia and beyond, for example to North Korea.
This is a war crime and also genocidal. So by your admission you ought to be helping.
But again, what does this have to do with X and DSA?
> We can pay them the $150m to let them take care of Ukraine themselves. It was bad enough we had to drag them by the nose to the water. Maybe enough is enough.
We are taking care of Ukraine. Most of the aid is coming from various EU states, and the organisation itself.
Of course, the United States is the largest singular donator and also has donated some very important capabilities to Ukraine, for which people should be and are thankful for, but the claim that Europe isn't doing anything for Ukraine is just false. Could we do more? Absolutely. Should we? Yes. But that doesn't mean that nothing is happening.
But I must ask again, what does this have to do with X or the DSA?
SanjayMehta|2 months ago
[deleted]
kaveh_h|2 months ago
arp242|2 months ago
And if you must use these kind of loaded terms, insisting you MUST be allowed to do business on YOUR TERMS and your terms alone is pretty much how colonisation started.
mraduldeodhiya|2 months ago
cakealert|2 months ago
Define this type of action as "bureaucratic piracy". Any rule which preferentially targets US interests over domestic either in its creation or its enforcement. Apply some of that "disparate outcomes" logic.