SOMI Foundation Declared Admissible in Collective Proceedings Against X (Formerly Twitter) in the Netherlands and Appointed Exclusive Representative
Rotterdam (Netherlands), October 22th, 2026 – The District Court of Amsterdam has declared that the collective proceedings initiated by Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (SOMI) against X (formerly Twitter) may proceed. SOMI meets all legal requirements to initiate collective damages proceedings and is appointed SOMI as the Exclusive Representative in the case. The case will now proceed on the merits.
Oct Thu 22 2026
On August 16th, 2024, SOMI filed a collective lawsuit against X Corp., X Internet Unlimited Company and Twitter Netherlands B.V., the companies behind X (formerly Twitter), before the District Court of Amsterdam. In this collective lawsuit, SOMI represents the interests of all Dutch X-users. The lawsuit concerns a number of data breaches in 2021 and 2022, unlawful microtargeting and the massive amount of hate speech on the platform.
In an interim judgment dated May 27th, 2026, the Amsterdam court had already ruled that SOMI meets most admissibility requirements. The court then required SOMI to provide further evidence that it had sufficient financial resources to cover the costs of the proceedings and retained sufficient control over the claim.
SOMI has since demonstrated that it has the financial resources necessary to pursue the action and sufficiently substantiated that its funders do not exercise decisive control over the claim. X challenged these arrangements, raising concerns about the funder’s influence, SOMI’s financial position, and its certificate structure.
Ultimately, the court concluded that SOMI satisfies all requirements of Article 3:305a of the Dutch Civil Code , and that its claims are admissible. The court will designate SOMI as the exclusive representative as referred to in Article 1018c of the Code of Civil Procedure.
The court has determined that these proceedings concern the following three groups of people:
1. Data breaches and inadequate security claim: all natural persons (including minors) who reside in the Netherlands and used the X platform on or after June 1st, 2021, and whose personal data is contained in the leaked datasets referred to in the initial complaint.
2. Microtargeting and lack of transparency claim: all natural persons (including minors) who reside in the Netherlands and used the X platform on or after August 25th, 2023, and were part of the target audience for the ads displayed as a result of X’s unauthorized microtargeting.
3. Claim relating to breach of the DSA concerning systematic risks for VLOPs including the prevention of hate speech: all natural persons (including minors) who reside in the Netherlands and used the X platform on or after August 25th, 2023.
Next steps
Following this ruling, the court will set a deadline for affected individuals who wish to opt out of the collective proceedings. This will be announced in national daily newspapers and published in the register of collective actions.
The court may also establish a period for settlement negotiations with X. If no settlement is reached, the legal proceedings will continue to secure compensation for affected X users.
Representation
SOMI is represented by the law firm SOLV in all of its proceedings in the Netherlands.
About SOMI
Stichting Onderzoek Marktinformatie (SOMI) is a non-profit organization focused on societal issues. SOMI is recognized by the European Commission as an organization authorized for cross-border representative actions in the EU, and advocates the protection of fundamental rights for consumers and minors using a range of online services.
Through its app, SOMI gives individuals control over their personal data: "All your data. All yours." The organization uncovers malpractices, informs the public, and supports those who have been harmed – including through collective actions, injunctions, and the enforcement of compensation claims. SOMI is currently investigating legal violations by numerous digital service providers and social media platforms.
The SOMI app also assists consumers in exercising their individual GDPR rights in requesting their personal data from online platforms. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play, as well as through the SOMI Web App at app.somi.nl.
Contact
Jullaya Vorasuntharosoth, Campaign Director