Brussels, 7 December (H.S.): Elon Musk unleashed a blistering rebuke against the European Union on Saturday, declaring the bloc should be abolished to restore sovereignty to individual nations, mere hours after regulators imposed a record €120 million ($140 million) fine on his platform X for breaching Digital Services Act transparency mandates.

The penalty, the first under the DSA, censured X's deceptive blue checkmark system that permits paid verification without rigorous authentication, misleading users on account legitimacy.

Commissioners further faulted X's advertising repository for opacity regarding ad content, payers, and topics, alongside erecting barriers to researchers seeking public data for systemic risk analysis, thereby undermining user safeguards.

Musk, addressing his 230 million followers, professed affection for Europe while decrying the EU as a bureaucratic monster, insisting national governments better reflect public will.

The Trump administration echoed outrage, branding the action an assault on US firms.

X faces 60 days to rectify checkmark flaws and 90 days for ad/data compliance plans, with potential escalation to 6% of global turnover for non-adherence. This clash amplifies transatlantic frictions over Big Tech oversight, pitting DSA enforcement against free-speech defenses.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar