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The infringements include the deceptive design of the “blue check mark”, the lack of transparency of the advertising register and the fact that researchers do not have access to public data, the Commission said in a press release.
It is the first time that the Commission has imposed a fine under the so‑called Digital Services Act (DSA). That law, in force since 2023, forces the large online platforms to take action to protect their users against, among other things, illegal content, disinformation and abuse.
The law is a thorn in the side of the American government. Even before the announcement of the fine, Vice President JD Vance had already voiced his complaints on X. “The European Union should support freedom of speech instead of attacking American companies over nonsense,” he wrote.
At the Commission, they stress that the decision has nothing to do with “content moderation”, but only with transparency. “We agree to disagree with the way some people in the United States look at our legislation. This is not about censorship,” the spokeswoman for President Ursula von der Leyen responded.
The Belgian Minister for Digitalisation, Vanessa Matz, welcomed the decision as “an important step in the protection of European users against misleading practices and illegal online content”. Matz calls on the Commission to continue the ongoing investigations. “The exemplary role of sanctions is essential to counter abuse and protect citizens.”
(Brussels, 5 December 2025)