European Commission finds violations in Tiktok, Facebook and Instagram
25 October 12:18
The European Commission has found that social networks Tiktok, Facebook, and Instagram violate the transparency obligations set out in the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). According to the regulator’s preliminary assessment, the platforms make it difficult for researchers to access their data and do not provide effective mechanisms for complaints and user reports.
The European Commission announced this on Friday, October 24, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the EC, all three platforms create barriers that often lead to “incomplete or unreliable data collection” and complicate research, including whether minors are exposed to illegal or harmful content. The Commission emphasized that open access to platform data is a key element of transparency under the DSA, as it allows for a better understanding of the impact on society of the activities of large online platforms.
Complicated procedures for user complaints
Among other things, Meta is accused of not having user-friendly mechanisms for reporting illegal material on its Facebook and Instagram platforms, such as content containing sexualized child abuse or terrorist propaganda.
The complaint procedures, according to the Commission, are overly complicated and contain “manipulative design elements” that may discourage users from reporting. According to the DSA, platforms are obliged to promptly check and remove illegal content after receiving a complaint.
The European Commission also emphasizes the shortcomings in the mechanisms for appealing decisions on content moderation on Facebook and Instagram. EU users whose posts have been removed and accounts blocked cannot effectively appeal these decisions. Existing systems do not allow for the addition of explanations or evidence, which limits the transparency and fairness of the procedures.
Possible sanctions
Meta and Tiktok have been given the opportunity to review the Commission’s preliminary findings and submit written responses. If the violations are confirmed, the companies will face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover. The European Commission added that, if necessary, compulsory fines may be imposed to ensure compliance with the rules.
The DSA obliges online platforms to take measures to protect users from illegal content, goods and services. Particularly strict requirements apply to the largest platforms with more than 45 million users in the EU, such as Facebook, Amazon or Google. These companies are directly under the supervision of the European Commission, and several other investigations are already underway.
