China-owned TikTok reportedly faces a European Union probe within the coming weeks – and the opportunity of large fines – as regulators assess whether or not it has accomplished sufficient to guard youngsters from disturbing movies.
EU regulators are set to research whether or not TikTok is in compliance with the Digital Providers Act, a sweeping provision that requires the most important tech corporations – together with Instagram father or mother Meta and X – to reasonable content material, defend consumer privateness and tackle dangers to the general public.
The European Fee’s investigation will concentrate on whether or not adjustments TikTok has made to adjust to the DSA’s content material moderation insurance policies are ample, sources acquainted with the scenario told Bloomberg.
Underneath the DSA, tech corporations may be fined as a lot as 6% of their annual income for breaking the principles. They can be banned from Europe completely for a number of violations.
TikTok mentioned it has not but been notified by the European Fee about an investigation. The corporate mentioned it’s in common contact with EU regulators.
Talks between the 2 sides are mentioned to be ongoing and EU officers may ultimately resolve to not open a proper probe.
The Put up has reached out to the European Union and TikTok for remark.
A proper investigation would mark yet one more regulatory headache for TikTok, which has confronted intense scrutiny from US lawmakers for failing to crack down on troubling content material that critics say has fueled a wave of anxiety and depression among young Americans.
A current examine by UK researchers discovered that TikTok’s algorithm was helping “hateful ideologies and misogynistic tropes” to turn into “normalized” in faculties by pushing unfavorable movies about girls – reminiscent of one titled “the way to cope with disrespectful girls.”
TikTok CEO Shou Chew has been grilled twice on Capitol Hill over his app’s failure to protect minors – most just lately ultimately month’s listening to over on-line little one intercourse abuse.
TikTok has pushed again on the allegations and mentioned it’s dedicated to making sure the security and well-being of its customers.
Apart from content material moderation, Chew additionally confronted robust questions from lawmakers over its father or mother firm, Beijing-based ByteDance, and its ties to the Chinese language authorities.
As The Post reported, Republicans blasted TikTok final November for permitting “terrorist propaganda” after influencers started peddling Osama bin Laden’s post-9/11 “letter to America” on the app.
Weeks earlier, the GOP had renewed its call to ban the app from the US after the allegedly disproportionate recognition of pro-Palestine movies following Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel.
In December of final 12 months, X grew to become the primary firm to face a proper investigation by the EU over potential violations of the DSA. That probe is tied to posts associated to Hamas’ assault on Israel.
With Put up wires
