EU officially kicks off TikTok DSA investigation

The TikTok DSA investigation adds to the many cases in which ByteDance has been accused.

The European Union (EU) has recently announced a formal investigation into the short-form video giant TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. This TikTok DSA probe centers around potential breaches of online content regulations, specifically those safeguarding children and transparent advertising practices. This move escalates already intense regulatory scrutiny faced by TikTok, casting a spotlight on issues surrounding data privacy, the platform’s potential impact on users, and concerns regarding possible influence by the Chinese government.

The EU’s TikTok DSA investigation comes as numerous countries worldwide implement measures aimed at addressing child safety risks on social media platforms and increasing accountability for internet service providers. Regulatory anxieties concerning TikTok extend beyond Europe; investigations, restrictions, or outright bans against the platform have been initiated in nations including the United States and India.

Child safety and advertising transparency are core issues behind the TikTok DSA investigation (Image credit) Key concerns driving the TikTok DSA investigation

EU industry chief Thierry Breton initiated the TikTok DSA investigation following a review of TikTok’s risk assessment report and responses to EU inquiries.

The focus is on several critical areas:

• Protecting minors: The EU probe will examine TikTok’s safeguards against potentially addictive design features, ‘rabbit hole’ effects leading to harmful content, and its age verification processes to keep children under 13 off the platform
• Advertising transparency: The TikTok DSA investigation will determine if TikTok complies with EU regulations by clearly identifying all forms of advertising and sponsored content presented to users
• Compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA): The EU is strictly enforcing the DSA, which compels large online platforms to proactively remove illegal content and mitigate societal risks. Ensuring TikTok DSA compliance is a major focus of the probe

EU industry chief Thierry Breton has announced the TikTok DSA investigation with the following words in his post on X:

Today we open an investigation into #TikTok over suspected breach of transparency & obligations to protect minors: