EC finds Meta and TikTok breached transparency rules under DSA

An investigation by EU regulators found TikTok and Meta to be in breach of Union rules on illegal or harmful online content.

European Commission (EC) said Preliminary findings on Friday show that both companies are not complying with Digital Services Act (DSA) rules that require them to give researchers adequate access to public data.

The commission called Meta and TikTok’s methods and tools for requesting access to public data “unbalanced,” saying researchers are often left with partial or unreliable data, which “affects their ability to conduct research, such as whether users, including minors, have been exposed to illegal or harmful content.”

The Commission also said that the platforms – Instagram and Facebook – both breached obligations to provide EU residents with easy ways to report illegal content. The commission said both platforms imposed several unnecessary steps before users could report content and accused Facebook and Instagram of using so-called “dark patterns” — designing tactics that trick users into taking certain actions.

“Such practices can be confusing and discouraging. Meta’s procedures for flagging and removing illegal content can therefore be ineffective,” the commission wrote in a statement.

The EC also said that both meta-platforms’ moderation appeals processes do not allow EU residents to provide full explanations or evidence to support their appeals. “This makes it more difficult for EU users to explain why they disagree with Meta’s content decisions, limiting the effectiveness of the appeals process,” the commission wrote.

The findings are part of investigations launched against both companies in early 2024. EC started Searching on TikTok Including a focus on advertising transparency, data access for researchers, content moderation and protection of minors, as well as other concerns. There was a meta-analysis on The commission said it suspected Facebook and Instagram of breaking rules for larger platforms related to election integrity.

D DSA The European Union’s set of rules governing online platforms and content moderation, which broadly addresses concerns about the growing risks to consumer welfare in the digital realm. The law imposes a set of additional requirements on major platforms like TikTok and Meta in areas such as algorithmic transparency and systemic risk.

Fines for confirmed violations of the DSA can reach up to 6% of global annual revenue.

The EC said that both Meta and TikTok will be able to review its investigation documents, challenge the findings and commit to resolving them.

Meta and TikTok did not immediately return requests for comment.