In a surprising turn of events, X, the social media platform, has terminated the ad account of the European Commission just a day after being hit with a hefty fine of €120 million (approximately $140 million) for violating the Digital Services Act (DSA). This move has sparked a wave of controversy and raised questions about the platform’s policies and practices.
Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, accused the European Commission of exploiting a loophole in the platform’s Ad Composer to artificially boost the reach of its post announcing the substantial fine. According to Bier, the commission logged into a dormant ad account and posted a deceptive link to increase its post’s visibility. While Bier acknowledged that the exploit has since been patched, X still decided to revoke the European Commission’s ability to purchase and track ads on its platform.
The European Commission’s spokesperson for Tech Sovereignty, Defence, Space, and Research, Thomas Regnier, highlighted that this fine marked the first instance of a penalty under the DSA. The commission cited X’s deceptive system for verified accounts, lack of transparency in its advertising repository, and inadequate data provision for researchers as reasons for the fine. In response, X’s owner, Elon Musk, controversially dismissed the commission’s claims with a single-word comment, “Bullshit.”
The abrupt action taken by X has raised concerns about the platform’s relationship with regulatory bodies and its commitment to transparency and accountability. The move to shut down the European Commission’s ad account has ignited a debate about the power dynamics between tech giants and government entities, as well as the ethical implications of such actions.
Public reactions to this development have been mixed, with some supporting X’s decision as a necessary measure to combat misuse of its platform, while others criticize the platform for its handling of the situation and its response to regulatory oversight.
As this story continues to unfold, it underscores the growing tensions between tech companies and regulatory authorities worldwide. It also highlights the importance of ethical considerations in the development and implementation of digital platforms and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the tech industry.
#TechEthics #DigitalRegulation #EthicalAI
**References:**
– Engadget: [X Shuts Down European Commission’s Ad Account Following Major Fine](https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-shuts-down-the-european-commissions-ad-account-the-day-after-major-fine-173553267.html?src=rss)
– The Verge: [X Cuts Off European Commission’s Ad Account After Being Fined €120 Million](https://www.theverge.com/news/839742/x-cuts-off-the-european-commissions-ad-account)
– BBC News: [Elon Musk’s X Bans European Commission from Making Ads After €120m Fine](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0589g0dqq7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)
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