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TikTok logo behind EU flag symbol:
Photo: Dado Ruvic / REUTERS
The EU Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok. This is about the suspicion that the video platform is not fulfilling its obligations to protect minors, as the responsible EU Commissioner Thierry Breton wrote on Monday on the online service X, formerly Twitter.
He cited “addictive design and time limits,” the so-called rabbit hole effect, age verification and privacy preferences on TikTok as problem areas.
The Commission's official communication talks about "protection of minors, transparency of advertising, access to data for researchers and risk management with regard to addictive design and harmful content." It is being examined whether TikTok has violated the EU Digital Services Act (DSA for short). The commission will now “continue to collect evidence, e.g. B. through additional requests for information, surveys or inspections”.
It’s about “the well-being of young Europeans”
Breton is quoted in the statement as saying: "As a platform that reaches millions of children and young people, TikTok must fully comply with the Digital Services Act and play a special role in protecting minors online." The infringement procedure is being initiated "to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect the physical and emotional well-being of young Europeans."
Previously, the EU had only opened formal proceedings under the DSA against Elon Musk's Platform X. In extreme cases, a company that violates the rules could face a fine of six percent of its global annual turnover.
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