The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into TikTok over various concerns, including the protection of minors and addictive design. The investigation will focus on whether TikTok is complying with its obligations under the Digital Services Act regarding the assessment and mitigation of systemic risks.
Specifically, the Commission will examine whether TikTok's algorithms contribute to behavioral addictions or create 'rabbit hole effects.' It will also evaluate the effectiveness of the age verification tools used by TikTok to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate content.
Furthermore, the investigation will assess whether TikTok has implemented adequate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security for minors, particularly in terms of default privacy settings for minors within the recommender systems.
Commissioner for internal market emphasized the importance of protecting minors online and stated that TikTok, as a platform with a significant youth user base, must fully comply with the DSA to safeguard the well-being of young Europeans.
The investigation will also scrutinize TikTok's adherence to DSA requirements related to providing a searchable and reliable repository for advertisements on the platform. Additionally, it will review the transparency measures implemented by TikTok, especially concerning access to publicly available data for researchers.
As a Very Large Online Platform, TikTok is held to higher standards under the DSA. Last summer, the EU identified weaknesses in TikTok's procedures following a stress test, prompting the need for improvement.
Amnesty International has welcomed the investigation, expressing concerns about TikTok's impact on children's mental health. The organization highlighted the platform's potential to expose children to harmful content romanticizing self-harm and suicide, leading to negative effects on mental well-being.
The European Commission has not specified a timeline for the probe but indicated that it will continue gathering evidence through information requests, interviews, and inspections.
Executive vice president for the European Commission program emphasized the importance of TikTok assessing the risks posed to users and assured an in-depth investigation without preconceived outcomes.
TikTok has stated its intention to cooperate with the investigation, highlighting its efforts to protect teens and prevent underage users from accessing the platform. The company looks forward to explaining its safety measures to the Commission in detail.
