The European Union has opened an investigation into TikTok for potentially breaching obligations to protect minors online.
According to Reuters, the EU will examine whether TikTok failed to protect children and ensure transparent advertising. Fines could be up to 6% of TikTok’s global revenue if violations are found.
EU Commissioner Thierry Breton announced the probe after reviewing TikTok’s risk assessment report and information requests.
TikTok must comply with the EU’s new Digital Services Act that requires large platforms to better moderate illegal content and public security risks.
TikTok stated it has pioneered features to protect teens and restrict underage users. But the EU investigation will assess concerns around TikTok’s systems, including its algorithmic features.
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Specifically, the EU will look into how TikTok’s design may lead to addictive usage patterns or extremist content promotion.
This probe represents increasing regulatory scrutiny over how social platforms moderate content and protect younger audiences. TikTok’s advertising practices will be evaluated as well during the investigation.