The European Commission is once again turning its attention to TikTok, announcing a wide-ranging investigation into the China-based social media site over concerns about the addictive nature of its site and content, possible harm to minors, and data privacy.
The probe will determine whether TikTok is in violation of the European Union's Digital Services Act, the two-year-old law that regulates online platforms like social networks, marketplaces, and app stores to ensure they are safe for users and don't spread disinformation.
The EC already has run a preliminary investigation for several months, including asking TikTok - and similar companies - last year for information about data access, illegal activity, disinformation, and the protection of minors, and used that to inform its decision this week to launch a formal investigation.
TikTok has become a target of interest of regulators in the United States and elsewhere due to its content, the access by minors to certain content, and worries about data security, particularly given it being a Chinese company owned by Beijing-based tech company ByteDance.
The video-sharing platform has pushed back at some of the concerns, including through television and online ads featuring good works that people use TikTok to perform.
The investigators also will determine whether TikTok is complying with the DSA's requirements for appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the privacy, safety, and security of minors, particularly using default privacy settings for minors in how they design and run recommendation systems, and for providing a searchable and reliability repository of ads shown on TikTok.
TikTok came under the DSA's authority in April 2023 when it told the EU is had 135.9 million active monthly users in the European Union and was designated a Very Large Online Platform.
From that point, it had four months to comply with DSA obligations.
As of February 17, the DSA applies to all online intermediaries in the bloc.
Investigators will continue gathering evidence through such avenues as more requests for information, interviews, and inspections.
There also is no deadline for the investigation, according to the EC. How long it lasts depends on such aspects as the complexity of the case, how willingly TikTok cooperates, and the arguments it makes in defending itself.
TikTok isn't the first social media platform to come under DSA scrutiny by the EC. In December, a similar investigation into X was announced, citing concerns about disseminating illegal content, combatting disinformation, the transparency of the platform, and its Blue checks program.
Amnesty International, which last yaer published its own reports about TikTok's allegedly aggressive pursuit of young users and its data-collection practices, applauded the EU's decision to investigate the company.
This Cyber News was published on securityboulevard.com. Publication date: Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:43:05 +0000