EU Accuses TikTok of Exposing Children to Risks, Threatens Fine

The European Commission has formally accused TikTok of insufficient protection for its young users, a move that could lead to substantial fines for the social media giant. The commission's preliminary findings suggest the platform violates the Digital Services Act (DSA) by not ensuring adequate safety standards.

A key concern highlighted by the commission is the visibility of minors' accounts. The EC argues that children's accounts should not be public by default, nor visible to users without accounts or those who haven't been granted specific permission. "High levels of protection should not be optional, they should be the default," stated Henna Virkkunen, the EU's commissioner for technology.

The commission believes that allowing access to children's activity on TikTok can expose them to unwanted contact and cyberbullying. Furthermore, the EC warned that content posted by minors could remain online indefinitely, potentially leading to lifelong consequences. TikTok now has the opportunity to examine the European Commission's documents and present its response. If the preliminary findings are upheld, the platform could face severe financial penalties.

“

High levels of protection should not be optional, they should be the default.