EU finds “TikTok in violation”

On May 15, the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union (EU), put forward a provisional opinion that the short video app “TikTok” violated relevant regulations on digital regulation. The Commission pointed out that TikTok did not do enough in disclosing relevant information about the release of video ads.

The European Commission investigated TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires platform operators to remove illegal content.

In order to prevent false information and fraudulent advertising, the EU Digital Services Act requires the disclosure of information about the source of advertising funds and also stipulates that the reasons for displaying specific ads should be disclosed to viewers. The European Commission believes that TikTok’s response is not sufficient.

In a statement on May 15, Virkkunen, the senior vice president of the European Commission for digital policy, emphasized that “transparency in advertising, including who pays and how to which audiences, is essential to protect the public interest.”

The European Commission is conducting multiple investigations into TikTok, suspecting that it has failed to take adequate measures to address risks that may affect the results of European elections and prevent minors from becoming addicted.