In a dramatic escalation of his feud with European regulators, billionaire Elon Musk has called for the abolition of the European Union. This outburst came shortly after his social media platform, X, was hit with a substantial fine. Musk simultaneously made a bold claim: that X has become the primary source for news in every EU country.
Musk's Fiery Tirade Against the EU
The controversy ignited following the EU's decision to impose a $140 million penalty on X for alleged breaches of the bloc's stringent Digital Services Act (DSA). The rules, which took full effect in August 2023, govern how large tech companies manage content and user data.
Responding to the fine, Musk launched a scathing attack on the social platform he owns. "The European Union is not DEMOcracy – rule of the people – but rather BUREAUcracy – rule of the unelected bureaucrat!" he tweeted. He followed this with a call for the bloc's dissolution, writing, "The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people."
Musk further criticized the EU's structure, sharing a post that equated it to a "Fourth Reich" and stating, "Europe is sleep-walking into oblivion."
The Claim: X Tops News Consumption in Europe
Amidst this criticism, Musk made a significant assertion about X's influence. He declared the platform was "Now number 1 in every EU country!" This claim was based on a post by the group Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, which stated X had become the #1 source for news across all 27 member states, listing nations from Austria to Sweden.
"The same 27 countries trying to regulate, fine, and silence it… now rely on it more than any legacy outlet or state media. You can’t make this up," the group added. It is important to note that this claim has not been independently verified by news agencies.
Why the EU Imposed the Massive Fine
The European Commission's $140 million fine was levied for specific violations under the DSA. Regulators cited X's use of a "deceptive design" related to its blue checkmark verification system, which could mislead users. The platform was also penalized for a lack of transparency in its advertising repository.
Furthermore, the EU stated that X failed to provide adequate access to its public data for researchers, a key requirement of the DSA aimed at monitoring systemic risks. "X's processes for researchers' access to public data impose unnecessary barriers," the Commission noted, saying this undermines vital research.
This clash highlights the growing tension between global tech giants and regulatory bodies striving to enforce content moderation and data transparency rules. While Musk champions X as the new frontier for news, European authorities are demanding greater accountability, setting the stage for continued conflict.
