EU Targets X Over Ad Rules

X came under fire after nine civil society organisations filed a formal complaint to the EU and French authorities. They are accusing Elon Musk’s social media platform of breaching advertising rules under the Digital Services Act.

The campaigners, including NGOs such as AI Forensics, European Digital Rights, and the Centre for Democracy and Technology, submitted a complaint to the European Commission and French media regulator Arcom this week. They allege that X enables targeted advertising using sensitive personal data linked to political views, religion, sexual orientation, and health conditions, a practice banned under the DSA.

The findings emerged from evidence collected by AI Forensics through an investigation of X’s Ad Repository, a public database set up by companies under DSA rules. The research claims that major corporations, such as Shein, McDonald’s, and Total Energies, ran ad campaigns on the platform that targeted or excluded users based on their engagement with sensitive keyword categories. AI Forensics also identified that Brussels Signal, a media outlet affiliated with European right-wing parties, ran ads targeting users who engaged with keywords related to far-right political content, a move seen as an attempt to influence civic discourse.

In a joint statement, the organisations expressed deep concern regarding the findings, stating that the sensitive user information used in X’s advertising practices can reveal deeply personal aspects of an individual’s identity, leading to an increased risk of discrimination, harm, and violations of users’ fundamental rights. The group urged regulators and Digital Services Coordinators to launch an investigation, emphasising that platforms operating at the scale and influence of X must be held to the highest standards of compliance.