EU opens formal investigation into TikTok over possible online content breaches

Video platform TikTok, under scrutiny over potential breach of Digital Services Act in areas such as age verification

On Monday, the European Union executive branch—announced it began formal investigative proceedings into whether TikTok breached online content rules aimed at protecting children and ensuring transparent advertising.

“On the basis of the preliminary investigation conducted so far, including on the basis of an analysis of the risk assessment report sent by TikTok in September 2023, as well as TikTok’s replies to the Commission’s formal Requests for Information (on illegal content, protection of minors, and data access), the Commission has decided to open formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act,” the commission announced.

The EU investigation will focus on four specific areas of interest: whether TikTok’s algorithms may stimulate addictions and or “create so-called ‘rabbit hole effects’” for users; whether TikTok ensures privacy, safety, and security for minors using the platform, including age verification measures; whether TikTok complies with DSA requirements to provide a searchable repository of advertisements appearing on the platform; and whether TikTok has provided researchers with sufficient levels of data about the platform.

The Chinese parent company, TikTok, said it would continue to work with experts and the industry to keep young people on its platform safe and that it looked forward to explaining this work in detail to the European Commission.

“TikTok has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with,”