European Union Intensifies Digital Investigations, TikTok Under Scrutiny

Lebanon Today

Regulatory bodies affiliated with the European Union have announced violations by the platforms “Meta” and “TikTok” of the rules of the Digital Services Act (DSA) related to content management on the Internet.

The European Commission explained that the two companies have not complied with providing sufficient access to researchers to public data published on their platforms.

The Commission also pointed out that the mechanisms for requesting data by researchers on “TikTok” and “Meta” are still complex and confusing, leading to incomplete or inaccurate data. This negatively affects research on monitoring illegal or harmful content, especially concerning minors.

In a related context, the Commission found that the “Facebook” and “Instagram” platforms, which belong to “Meta,” do not provide easy ways for users within the European Union to report illegal content. They impose several unnecessary steps when submitting a report, in addition to using “dark patterns,” which are designs aimed at pushing the user to make certain choices unconsciously, making the process of reporting content less effective.

The Commission mentioned that the appeal mechanisms available to users on “Meta” platforms do not allow them to explain the reasons for the objection or provide sufficient evidence, which limits their ability to defend their content and fully express their position.

For its part, “TikTok” responded that it has invested heavily in data-sharing tools and has already granted access to nearly a thousand research teams. It said it faces a conflict between data protection laws (GDPR) and the requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA), and awaits regulators to find a mechanism to reconcile them.

As for “Meta,” it confirmed that it has already made adjustments to reporting and transparency tools in compliance with the Digital Services Act, but it rejected the accusations that indicate its non-compliance, noting that it is currently negotiating with the European Commission regarding these observations.

It is worth noting that these findings come as part of investigations that began in 2024 to examine the role of major platforms in advertising, the protection of minors, researchers’ access to data, and the impact on the integrity of elections. It is worth mentioning that the Digital Services Act (DSA) imposes strict restrictions on major platforms, and fines for confirmed violations can reach 6% of the annual global revenue of the violating company.

The Commission states that both “Meta” and “TikTok” will be able to view the results of the investigation, respond to them, and take steps to address potential violations in the coming period.