EU Slams TikTok for Shady Ad Practices: Breaching Online Advertising Rules Uncovering Doubts on Transparency and Accountability
TikTok under fire for alleged breaches in EU online advertising regulations - TikTok allegedly violates EU marketing regulations regarding online advertising.
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty: TikTok, beloved video-sharing platform, is under fire from the European Commission for failing to keep it real about their advertising. The platform is accused of keeping mum on who gets targeted with personalized ads and the folks footing the bill for them. The commission isn't impressed with TikTok's lame search function in their ad archive either, labeling it as lackluster and not exactly useful.
Henna Virkkunen, EU's Digital Commissioner, put it bluntly: "People deserve to know who's behind the messages they see."
The commission believes that a functioning database is a must-have for both research and the public. Access to in-depth information could help expose fraudulent or fake ads, combat disinformation, particularly during election season.
Last year, the EU Commission probed TikTok in connection with Romania's presidential elections' first round. The allegation? TikTok didn't bother labeling videos from far-right candidate Calin Georgescu as election ads. A Romanian court nixed the election due to suspicions of Russian election meddling. In the redo, far-right politician George Simion (a TikTok darling) replaced Georgescu and is the frontrunner in Sunday's runoff against pro-European Nicusor Dan.
The EU Commission isn't done with TikTok yet. Other investigations against the platform are ongoing in Brussels, revolving around protecting minors from violent content and addiction risks on TikTok. If the EU Commission's allegations pan out, TikTok is staring down the barrel of hefty fines.
Enrichment Data:- The European Commission highlights concerns about TikTok's failure to adhere to transparency rules, particularly in relation to election advertising, under the DSA. If TikTok fails to improve its transparency measures, it risks significant fines and enhanced regulatory scrutiny [1][2][3].- The European Commission's preliminary findings indicate that TikTok's ad repository does not meet European standards because it falls short in providing necessary information on the content of ads, targeted users, and paying advertisers. Additionally, the database lacks comprehensive search capabilities, limiting its usefulness for monitoring and research purposes [1][4].- TikTok has responded to the Commission's findings by stating it is reviewing them and remains committed to complying with the DSA. However, the company disagrees with some interpretations and notes that the findings are preliminary and not yet guided by clear public rules [1].
- The European Commission is concerned about TikTok's compliance with transparency rules, particularly in the sphere of employment policies, as the commission believes that a functional database is crucial for both research and the public, potentially aiding in the exposure of fraudulent or fake ads, combating disinformation, and ensuring accountability during election periods.
- The lack of transparency in TikTok's advertising policies, including the failure to disclose information about the content of ads, targeted users, and paying advertisers, is a significant concern for the European Commission, particularly in the context of business and technology, where such transparency is widely accepted as essential for maintaining trust and fostering a fair market.
- Amid ongoing investigations in Brussels surrounding the protection of minors from violent content and addiction risks on TikTok, the European Commission's allegations against TikTok, if proven true, could lead to hefty fines, reflecting the commission's commitment to upholding general-news standards and maintaining a robust digital environment in EC countries, including policies related to employment, finance, politics, and technology.
