The European Commission has issued preliminary findings accusing TikTok of violating the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), alleging that aspects of the platform’s design fail to adequately protect children from cyberbullying and online predators.
The charges mark the fourth DSA case brought against TikTok in the past two years and could result in a fine of up to 6 per cent of the company’s global annual turnover if the allegations are ultimately upheld.
According to the Commission, TikTok’s account settings do not meet the child safety standards required under the DSA. Regulators said children can create public accounts, allowing their content to be viewed by anyone and potentially exposing them to abusive contact or harassment.
The Commission also argued that even private accounts do not provide sufficient protection because minors can still be identified through the followers and following lists of other users, including by people without TikTok accounts.
EU regulators said TikTok should modify its default settings so that content posted by minors is visible only to users specifically approved by the child, rather than being publicly accessible by default.
TikTok said it would review the Commission’s findings and continue to cooperate with the investigation.
The company said teenage accounts already include more than 50 built-in privacy and safety features developed with expert input. It also noted that accounts belonging to users under 18 are private by default and that younger teenagers cannot use direct messaging or have their content recommended in the platform’s ‘For You’ feed.
TikTok will now have the opportunity to examine the Commission’s findings and submit a formal response before regulators issue a final decision.
European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen said the Digital Services Act requires online platforms to incorporate child protection into the design of their services. ‘A high level of protection should not be an opt-in; it should be the default,’ she said.
TikTok has previously offered commitments to avoid fines in two other DSA investigations, while a third case remains ongoing.
Related articles:
At a time when public debate is increasingly polarized and superficial, Hungarian Conservative remains committed to depth, intellectual honesty, and independent conservative thought.
Producing high-quality journalism requires resources. Your contribution helps us expand our coverage, reach new audiences, and keep our content accessible.
Please consider supporting our mission.
