BRUSSELS: The European Union on Friday accused Meta and TikTok of violating the bloc’s digital content rules, putting the two tech giants at risk of significant fines.
The European Commission said Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms, along with TikTok, breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) — a law requiring Big Tech firms to curb illegal content and ensure fair competition in online markets.
It is the first time the EU has formally accused Meta of breaching the DSA, an allegation the company has rejected. The EU said both firms failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data and did not provide clear or user-friendly systems for flagging illegal content or appealing moderation decisions.
Meta was also accused of using “dark patterns” — deceptive interface designs that confuse users — in its content moderation tools.
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TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, said it remained committed to transparency but claimed that some DSA requirements conflicted with EU data protection laws.
Meta said it disagreed with the EU’s findings, adding that it had already updated its reporting options and data access tools to comply with the law.
The European Commission said the companies could face fines if their proposed remedies do not address regulators’ concerns.
EU officials rejected claims that the DSA amounts to censorship, saying the law protects free speech and ensures accountability for major online platforms.
Both Meta and TikTok are already under investigation in separate EU probes examining their impact on children and online safety.
