The European Commission is looking into what measures YouTube and TikTok have taken to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The European Union has launched an investigation into TikTok and YouTube to find out what measures the platforms take to ensure the safety of users under the DSA, especially regarding the risks posed to children’s mental and physical health.
The DSA is part of the European Union’s powerful armoury to bring Big Tech to heel, and demands that digital giants do more to counter the spread of illegal and harmful content as well as disinformation. Platforms face fines that can go up to 6 per cent of global turnover for violations.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is particularly popular with younger users, while YouTube is part of the Alphabet digital empire that includes Google.
Both companies must respond by November 30.
The EU’s top tech enforcer, Thierry Breton, said in August that “child protection will be an enforcement priority” for the DSA.
The law has also banned targeted advertising to minors aged 17 and under.
The EU already launched probes into TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook-parent Meta Platforms (banned and designated as extremist in Russia) over disinformation following the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi met EU officials earlier this week in Brussels, in talks the company’s spokesperson on Thursday hailed as “positive”.
The DSA also demands tech behemoths do more to counter the spread of illegal goods.
The commission on Monday announced it kick-started an investigation into China’s AliExpress over what actions it is taking to protect consumers online from illegal products, including fake medicines, as part of DSA compliance.
Source: SCMP
