EU opens investigation into TikTok's potential breach of obligations to protect minors

The European Union will investigate whether TikTok breached online content rules, revealed Reuters. The social media, owned by ByteDance, may have failed to protect children and ensure transparent advertising and might have to pay a fine of up to 6% of its global turnover.

According to Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, the decision was taken after he analyzed the short video app's risk assessment report and its replies to requests for information.

Today we open an investigation into #TikTok over suspected breach of transparency & obligations to protect minors:

📱Addictive design & screen time limits

🕳️ Rabbit hole effect

🔞 Age verification

🔐 Default privacy settings

Enforcing #DSA for safer Internet for youngsters pic.twitter.com/4d2F0FQUHw

— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) February 19, 2024

TikTok is required to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into action on February 17. The act requires from large online platforms and search engines to do more to tackle illegal online content and risks to public security.

A TikTok spokesperson was quoted to say that the company “has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with”.

The investigation of the European Commission, the institution that proposes new EU laws and monitors their implementation, will look into the design of TikTok's system, including algorithmic systems that may stimulate behavioral addictions and/or create so-called “rabbit hole effects.”

Source | Via/a>