The European Union (EU) has initiated a formal probe into TikTok to scrutinize whether the social media giant is sufficiently safeguarding the interests of minors using its platform, in accordance with the Digital Services Act. This investigation comes amidst growing concerns over other potential violations, putting the company’s practices under sharp scrutiny.
An EU spokesperson clarified on Monday that the commencement of this probe merely indicates that TikTok’s functionalities, procedures, and policies related to the suspected infringements will be investigated by the Commission. It does not determine or predict any outcomes of the investigation.
This assessment will delve into whether China’s ByteDance-owned company complies with stipulations laid out for large-scale social media platforms, such as the minimization of risks associated with user addiction to content, and the preservation of privacy and safety standards for underage users.
Monday’s press release from the European Commission highlighted concerns regarding the effectiveness and adequacy of TikTok’s age verification tools. These tools are crucial in restricting children’s access to content that may be deemed inappropriate.
Apart from this, the probe will also focus on whether TikTok has maintained transparency regarding ads displayed on its platform, and whether it has offered ample data access to researchers.
Responding to these concerns, a TikTok spokesperson assured CNN that the company has taken the lead in implementing protective features to safeguard teenagers and to prevent individuals under 13 from accessing the platform.
The spokesperson added that the company is committed to coordinating with industry experts to ensure safety for young TikTok users and that it welcomes the chance to provide detailed explanations to the Commission regarding these safety measures.
Digital Services Act, a regulation introduced in August, binds social media companies operating in the EU to fulfill certain obligations. This Act seeks to bolster the protective measures enacted by large tech companies, defined as those with over 45 million monthly users within the bloc, to safeguard online rights. It’s worth noting that TikTok nearly triples this figure, touting almost 136 million monthly active users in the region, as per data from the European Commission.
Violations of these rules can result in fines amounting to as much as 6% of the offending company’s annual global revenue.
This marks the second instance within two months where the Commission has initiated formal proceedings against a major social media entity. In December, the body announced an investigation into another platform to ascertain whether it had met its legal obligations to combat the proliferation of illegal content and disinformation.
These formal investigations can trace their origins back to a request sent by the Commission to both TikTok and another entity last fall. This request sought additional details about the measures being put into place by these companies to ensure their compliance with the Digital Services Act. Both entities have since submitted their responses to the Commission.
