Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is expected to avoid the European Union’s stringent regulations aimed at curbing the dominance of Big Tech, as it does not meet the criteria to be classified as a gatekeeper, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Earlier this year, the European Commission launched an investigation into X after the platform challenged claims suggesting it may need to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which imposes strict requirements on major tech companies.
X has argued that it does not serve as a significant intermediary between businesses and consumers, a key factor in the gatekeeper designation. Under the DMA, companies must have more than 45 million monthly active users and a market valuation exceeding €75 billion ($83 billion) to qualify.
Gatekeeper companies are required to make their messaging services interoperable with competitors, allow users to choose which apps to pre-install, and ensure equal treatment of their services. The European Commission had committed to completing its investigation within five months, but has so far declined to comment on the ongoing process.
However, X’s more immediate concerns involve compliance with the recently implemented Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires large online platforms to take robust measures against illegal and harmful content or face fines of up to 6% of their global revenue. X is currently under multiple investigations related to DSA violations.