EU Targets TikTok for Digital Safety Violations in Advertising
The European Union has accused TikTok of breaching digital safety rules, as its online ad database falls short of the standards mandated by the Digital Services Act. This shortcoming limits researchers' ability to detect scam ads and assess risks, potentially affecting election integrity and public interest.
- Country:
- United Kingdom
European Union regulators have charged TikTok with violating digital safety protocols, citing deficiencies in the app's online advertising database. This finding is part of an investigation that highlights TikTok's failure to meet the requirements set by the Digital Services Act (DSA) enforced by the EU's Commission.
Ad repositories are critical for researchers analyzing scam ads and coordinated misinformation campaigns, especially during elections. The DSA mandates transparency in digital advertisements, such as clarifying why users see specific ads and identifying the entities financing them. TikTok reportedly lacks in providing essential details regarding ad content, targeting, and financiers, thus hampering a thorough inspection of these ads.
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, underscored the need for transparency to protect public interest and democratic integrity. TikTok has the opportunity to respond before the EU's Commission finalizes its decision, which could include a penalty of up to 6% of TikTok's global revenue. Concurrently, TikTok is also under a separate investigation for its involvement in Romania's election irregularities.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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