Brussels: The European Commission has levied a substantial $140 million fine on Elon Musk's US-based social media company X due to several breaches of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). This penalty marks the first instance of non-compliance under the landmark regulation which aims to ensure transparency and accountability among digital service providers.

According to Anadolu Agency, the commission accused X of misleading users through the deceptive design of its blue checkmark feature and failing to meet transparency requirements concerning its advertising repository. Furthermore, the company reportedly obstructed researchers from accessing public data, a move that contravenes the DSA's stipulations for openness and data accessibility.

X has been given a 60-day period to propose corrective measures for the deceptive checkmark system. Additionally, the company is required to submit a comprehensive action plan within 90 days, detailing how it intends to address issues related to advertisement transparency and researcher data access.