Preliminary findings released by the European Commission on July 24 allege that TikTok has failed to meet the European Union’s legally mandated standards for protecting minors’ accounts and privacy under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

EU officials said the platform’s default settings and account-design weaknesses are exposing minors to cyberbullying, unwanted contact, and potential online predators. If the allegations are ultimately confirmed, TikTok could face a fine of up to six percent of its global annual revenue.

EU identifies three major flaws in TikTok’s account design

According to the European Commission’s investigation, which lasted more than two years, TikTok has significant product-design flaws in the way it protects children’s privacy:

“Children’s content must never be visible to strangers,” European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said, according to the Associated Press.

He emphasized that platform safety settings must provide genuinely effective, high-standard protections by default.

TikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken August 22, 2022. (Image: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

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TikTok faces fourth set of DSA allegations

The preliminary finding concerning the safety of minors’ accounts represents the fourth set of allegations brought against TikTok since the EU formally launched its DSA compliance investigation into the platform in February 2024.

The EU has previously raised concerns about potentially addictive elements of TikTok’s algorithmic design, including infinite scrolling and autoplay, warning that such features could harm users’ mental health.

In response, TikTok issued a statement saying it would carefully review the EU’s preliminary findings.

“Protecting minors online is a goal we share, and we are committed to building on our strong track record of continuous improvement,” TikTok said. The company added that it would review the findings and “continue to engage constructively with the Commission.”

No final decision

According to the Associated Press, the European Commission stressed that the preliminary report does not represent a final decision. The commission will next consult the European Board for Digital Services, while TikTok will have the right to submit a written response within a specified period.

Should the commission ultimately determine that TikTok violated the law, it will assess the seriousness, recurrence, and duration of the violations before imposing penalties.

The EU’s latest action against TikTok comes as European authorities move to tighten online safety rules for children and teenagers.

Just days earlier, the French parliament formally approved landmark legislation that will strictly prohibit children under the age of 15 from registering for social media platforms beginning in September. Existing accounts belonging to children will also be gradually deactivated.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has recently issued a series of strongly worded statements, reiterating that “social media is not a toy” and arguing that developers must bear full responsibility for ensuring their products are safe for children.

Original article
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