TikTok might face huge fine in EU probe over child safety and transparency،
The European Union, a persistent challenge to tech giants, is once again making its presence felt. A recent report indicates that Apple could face a substantial fine (up to $539 million) from the EU for creating “unfair trading conditions” for its competitors. It now appears that TikTok is also under EU control. Reuters reports that the European Union will launch an investigation into whether TikTok violated online content regulations designed to protect children and ensure transparent advertising. European industry chief Thierry Breton made the decision after reviewing TikTok's risk assessment report and its responses to requests for information. If found guilty, TikTok could face a substantial fine.
Today we are opening an investigation into #TIC Tac following alleged violations of transparency and obligations to protect minors:
Addictive design and screen time limits
Rabbit hole effect
Verification of AGE
Default privacy settings
Application #DSA for a safer Internet for young people pic.twitter.com/4d2F0FQUHw
-Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) February 19, 2024
The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force for all online platforms on February 17, requires large online platforms and search engines to take additional measures to combat illegal online content and protect public safety. If TikTok is found to have violated the rules set out in the DSA, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, could potentially face fines of up to 6% of its global revenue. For context, statistics show that TikTok generated an estimated revenue of $9.4 billion in 2023. This could potentially result in a fine of around $500 million.
TikTok said it remains committed to working with experts and the industry to keep young people safe on its platform. The company also said it was ready to provide detailed explanations of its efforts to the European Commission. A TikTok spokesperson said:
TikTok has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep those under 13 off the platform, issues the entire industry is grappling with.
The rabbit hole effect is a metaphor that describes the phenomenon of becoming deeply absorbed in something, usually to the point of losing track of time or neglecting other responsibilities. It is often used in the context of the Internet, where algorithms and user engagement strategies can keep people clicking on related content for hours on end.
For reference, research shows that on Android phones alone, we spent 2.3 trillion hours on social media in 2023, and TikTok is the king of the social media jungle.
The European Commission will also verify whether TikTok has put in place suitable and proportionate measures to guarantee a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors. In addition to the concern for the protection of minors, the Commission is examining whether TikTok offers a reliable database of advertisements on its platform, allowing researchers to analyze potential risks online. Stay tuned for updates.
