TikTok Facing EU's Wrath Over Opaque Advertising Practices
TikTok Violates Advertising Regulations According to EU Commission
Say goodbye to ad transparency on TikTok, as the European Commission has accused the video-sharing app of violating EU digital rules, potentially leading to hefty fines. The social media giant from the Far East has failed to deliver on key obligations related to ad transparency, and the EU Commission is none too pleased about it.
The TikTok Nightmare
TikTok is currently grappling with the EU Commission's wrath over its murky advertising practices. The social networking powerhouse, owned by Chinese-based Bytedance, is struggling to keep up with the Digital Services Act (DSA) requirements as it pertains to maintaining an ad archive. This archive serves as a crucial tool that helps researchers, and the public to uncover fraudulent advertisements, misleading campaigns, or any other misdeeds. However, TikTok seems to be falling short on multiple fronts.
The ad archive provided by TikTok is far from ideal, as it doesn't allow for comprehensive searches, which significantly undermines the tool's usefulness. Additionally, the platform doesn't publish an ad registry, making it difficult for researchers and civil society to keep track of who's advertising on the platform and who's being targeted.
The Digital Services Act (DSA)
The DSA is the EU's solution to a myriad of digital issues, including advertisement transparency, hate speech, and data protection. The Act mandates that very large online platforms (VLOPs) like TikTok must maintain a transparent advertising repository, allowing free access to researchers, civil society, and supervisory authorities. The repository should provide comprehensive information about advertisement content, targeted users, and advertisers. Furthermore, it should enable comprehensive searching based on relevant information to ensure effective monitoring and analysis.
The Fine Print
If the European Commission confirms TikTok's alleged breaches of the DSA, the platform could be hit with a fine equivalent to 6% of its total global annual turnover. The preliminary findings are based on an investigation that included the analysis of internal company documents, tests of TikTok tools, and discussions with experts in the field.
A Tale of Two Comrades
TikTok isn't the only social media platform under the EU Commission's microscope. Proceedings against X, a social media platform owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, are already underway due to suspected violations of the DSA. The law also aims to address hate speech and is being investigated by the EU Commission against the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta.
So there you have it; TikTok's lack of transparency might end up costing the platform a pretty penny. Stay tuned as this drama unfolds, and remember, in the world of social media, nothing is ever truly private.
Sources: ntv.de, jog/dpa
- Tiktok
- EU Commission
- Elon Musk
- Meta
- Bytedance
- China
- EU
- Social Media
- Given the ongoing investigation by the EU Commission, TikTok, owned by Bytedance, could face hefty fines potentially amounting to 6% of its total global annual turnover, similar to the scrutiny faced by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
- As the social-media giant TikTok grapples with the EU Commission's wrath due to opaque advertising practices, it is important to note that the industry, including companies like Facebook, are subject to the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations, which mandate an ad archive and a transparent advertising repository for very large online platforms (VLOPs).
- The Commission is proposing to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals to the Council, focusing on the finance and technological aspects of the DSA, ensuring that all social-media platforms adhere to the Act's requirements for maintaining a transparent advertising repository, allowing free access to researchers, civil society, and supervisory authorities.
