EU to Probe TikTok Over DSA Violation Claims

The European Union has escalated its scrutiny of TikTok by initiating a second formal investigation into the video-sharing platform's compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), a framework governing online governance and content moderation within the bloc. 

Announced on Monday, the EU disclosed this in a statement signed by Thierry Breton, the commissioner for the EU Internal Market and Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age. 

EU said its investigation into TikTok comes from concerns over potential violations of the DSA by TikTok, particularly regarding mental health risks posed to users. 

The Commission has indicated its intention to impose interim measures that could entail the suspension of access to the TikTok Lite app in the EU while investigations are ongoing. 

However, TikTok has until April 24 to present arguments against such measures, allowing continued accessibility to the app for the time being. 

This latest probe represents the second investigation launched by the EU into TikTok's compliance with the DSA, following a prior inquiry initiated in February. The focus of the investigations includes aspects such as the protection of minors, advertising transparency, and risk management of addictive design and harmful content. 

The specific scrutiny on TikTok Lite stems from concerns surrounding its "task and reward" feature, which incentivizes user engagement through rewards such as Amazon gift vouchers or TikTok's digital currency. 

The EU fears that this feature could contribute to addictive behaviour and negatively impact the mental health of young users. 

Breton emphasized the importance of safeguarding users, particularly children, from potential risks associated with online platforms. He warned of the addictive nature of certain digital experiences and emphasized the need for TikTok to provide compelling evidence of safety measures. 

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, faces potential penalties for failing to comply with DSA requirements, including the submission of a risk assessment report prior to launching TikTok Lite.