X Blocks European Commission’s Ad Account After €120M EU Fine Sparks Global Tech Clash

The conflict between X (previously known as Twitter) and the European Commission has once again come to light, and this time, the issues involved are not misinformation, blue verification ticks, or Musk’s long-winded posts in the middle of the night.

X has not only been punished with a huge fine of €120 million under the EU Digital Services Act, but it has also cut off the advertising account of the European Commission, thus, re-igniting the conflict between politics and technology from Brussels to Washington.

X Pulls the Plug on EU's Ad Account After DSA Fine

X's product head Nikita Bier declared the decision in a message to the Commission on Sunday:

“Your ad account has been terminated. "

The Commission's primary X account remains unaffected by this, meaning they can still share news. Only the ad management panel that is used to run promoted posts is blocked.

Bier accused the EU of “misleading users into thinking it’s a video to boost reach artificially” and thus exploiting a loophole in X’s Ad Composer Tool by posting links which he labeled as “misleading users into thinking it’s a video to boost reach artificially.”

Moreover, he remarked that the EU appeared to hold the view that “the rules should not apply to your account.”

His remarks instantly became popular on the platform, triggering a new debate on fairness.

The €120 Million Fine That Sparked the Clash

This most recent confrontation is a result of the EU's decision to fine X for breaching the Digital Services Act, including among others:

X's advertising library was not sufficiently transparent

The new blue checkmark system which the EU regulators called “deceptive” as it no longer verifies identity

This is DSA’s first-ever fine imposed by the EU and it seems to have gotten deep under their skin.

Musk did not mince words. He referred to the EU as a “tyrannical, unelected bureaucracy oppressing the people” and demanded its dissolution.

US Government Enters the Fight

The aftermath didn’t stop there. The U. S. government interceded, taking the side of American tech companies visibly stressed by the regulators in Europe.

U. S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick threatened that high tariffs on EU steel and aluminum would continue unless Brussels made the digital regulations less rigid. U. S. Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder criticized the fine as “regulatory overreach of the government that is targeting American innovation.”

The matter has grown larger than just a blocked ad account.

A Digital Cold War? EU vs. X vs. USA

What at first was an apparent case of a platform enforcing its rules has now become a broader geopolitical struggle.

The EU maintains that the big tech companies must adhere to inflexible transparency and safety standards.

X is taking the position of a service that does not yield to government pressure. The U. S. perceives Europe’s digital regulations as unfriendly towards American businesses.

Paradoxically, in a situation where users often feel powerless when a platform makes a decision, we are now witnessing a governmental body being shut out instead.

What Happens Next?

The Commission is still entitled to use its main X account; it just can’t run ads or promote posts.

However, the timing of this disagreement is critical, as global technology titans are readying themselves for stricter and tougher regulations on AI, data governance, and online content moderation.

Both parties will strive to position themselves as the ones who are upholding fairness, transparency, and digital freedom as the conflict stretches on.

And for the onlookers, it no longer concerns just X and the EU — it is now a matter of global tech regulation's future.