US government seeks to join Elon Musk in challenge against EU's fine on X

The United States government has formally sought to join a legal challenge against the European Union's €120 million fine imposed on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, according to a Thursday announcement. EU regulators imposed the sanction last year for alleged breaches of online content rules, marking the first penalty under a new Digital Services Act.

The US Department of Justice has filed a request with the EU's General Court to support X's efforts to overturn the fine. The EU's Digital Services Act, which underwent a two-year investigation, mandates platforms to more effectively combat illegal and harmful content. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the US Justice Department's civil division criticized the European Commission for attempting to extend its regulatory authority to American companies not operating within its jurisdiction.

The EU defends its laws as a means to uphold digital and democratic standards worldwide, emphasizing they are not discriminatory. Elon Musk, who acquired X in 2022, has criticized the EU's regulations, arguing they hinder technological advancement. Rights advocates and experts have also expressed concerns over increased hate speech, misinformation, and nonconsensual sexually explicit content on the platform since Musk's ownership.