BRUSSELS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk's social media platform X said on Friday it has filed an appeal at the General Court of the European Union against a 120 million euro (about 141.56 million U.S. dollars) fine imposed by the European Commission under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA).
In a statement posted by X's Global Government Affairs account on the platform, the company said it is challenging the Commission's Dec. 5, 2025, decision. It described the Commission's decision as the result of an "incomplete and superficial investigation," "grave procedural errors," and a misinterpretation of obligations under the DSA, while alleging breaches of rights of defense and basic due-process requirements.
The Commission announced the 120-million euro penalty in December last year, saying X had failed to comply with DSA transparency requirements. It cited concerns including the design of the platform's paid verification "blue checkmark," the transparency of its advertising repository, and researchers' access to public data.
X said the case marks the first judicial challenge to a DSA non-compliance fine and could set precedents for enforcement and penalty calculations under the regulation. The company added that it remains committed to user safety and transparency.
Information published on the Court of Justice of the EU website shows the General Court has registered several related actions, all lodged on Feb. 16, 2026, and currently listed as pending, including challenges brought by X and its corporate entities, a separate action linked to Elon Musk, and another filed by the AI-related company associated with him. ■