Post by : Bianca
Haleem
The European Commission has expressed concerns regarding TikTok and Meta, indicating potential breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Preliminary findings indicate that both companies may have obstructed researchers' access to public data, which could hinder studies focusing on safety issues, including exposure to illegal or harmful content.
According to the DSA, platforms must ensure “adequate access” to their public data to allow researchers to assess the physical and mental health effects of social media. The Commission alleges that Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have enforced complicated protocols leading to incomplete or unreliable information.
Beyond data transparency issues, Meta — which includes Facebook and Instagram — reportedly falls short in providing effective mechanisms for users to report illegal content and contest moderation decisions.
If these preliminary assessments are validated, the Commission has the authority to levy penalties of up to 6% of a company’s total global annual revenue, which could amount to billions for both ByteDance (TikTok) and Meta.
This action is part of a series of regulatory measures taken by the EU. Earlier, Meta faced a fine of €200 million under the Digital Markets Act due to user consent lapses for data collection, while TikTok incurred a €530 million penalty from the Irish Data Protection Commission for unauthorized data transfers to China.
The Commission has called on both companies to examine its findings and provide a written response. This inquiry underscores the EU’s ongoing commitment to enforce accountability within Big Tech, emphasizing the need for transparency, user safety, and fairness across online platforms.
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