DSA complaints filed against X over user data and targeted advertising

Nine civil society organisations, including European Digital Rights (EDRi) and AI Forensics, have lodged a joint complaint against X for allegedly violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) by using sensitive personal data for targeted advertising. The complaint, submitted to three Digital Services Coordinators in France, Germany, and the Netherlands, urges a prompt investigation into X's practices, which they argue are undermining the fundamental rights of users of the platform.

Research by AI Forensics found that X allowed brands and institutions to target ads based on special categories of data under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The practice, prohibited by the DSA, poses risks of discrimination and harm. Examples cited include Shein targeting French far-left political interests, Total Energies excluding users interested in ecologist figures, McDonald's excluding those interested in antidepressants, suicide or their own trade union, and Brussels Signal reportedly targeting far-right interests. The complainants argue that these examples underscore why the DSA includes a prohibition on advertising based on profiling using sensitive data, which aims to prevent the manipulation of public opinion and protect democratic discourse. 

In related news, the Financial Times (£) reports that the European Commission has reportedly delayed an investigation into X for violating DSA digital transparency rules. The Commission was expected to conclude the investigation before the summer recess, but officials indicate that a decision will likely be made pending the outcome of the ongoing EU-US trade negotiations. 

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