TikTok in Hot Water: Advertising Transparency Woes Rile European Commission
TikTok Violates Advertising Regulations, According to EU Commission
In an intense clash with the tech world, the European Commission is giving TikTok a hard time over its unclear advertising practices. With potential hefty fines looming, the popular video platform faces scrutiny for failing to comply with EU digital rules.
From the Shadows, Ads Unveiled The EU powerhouse mandates complete transparency when it comes to advertising content. However, TikTok has been lagging behind, not fully disclosing ad details on its platform—a move that's led the Commission to step in and issue a stern warning.
The Bureau in Brussels argues that the Digital Services Act (DSA) necessitates the establishment of an ad archive for researchers and society at large to have a fair chance to spot fraudulent advertising, misinformation campaigns, and shady ad tactics.
However, TikTok is not playing ball, the Commission claims, not publishing an ad register and not providing a comprehensive search tool for the ad archive, rendering it less effective in fighting ad-related wrongdoing.
Time's Up, TikTok
With the preliminary findings in the bag, the Commission has officially notified TikTok of the potential penalties, which could amount to a whopping six percent of its global annual turnover. But TikTok isn’t the only one under the EU's spotlight; investigation proceedings against several platforms have been launched for violating the DSA.
Elon Musk's platform X and Facebook (Meta) are among the other social media giants facing scrutiny over various DSA breaches in Brussels. The law's intent is threefold: to eliminate hate speech, safeguard user information, and ensure overall digital ethics[1].
The ongoing investigation, which kicked off in early 2024, covers more aspects than just ad transparency. Issues such as addictive design and the protection of minors are also under the magnifying glass. TikTok now stands before the Commission, awaiting its response to the preliminary findings[1].
Sources: ntv.de, jog/dpa
- TikTok
- European Commission
- Social Media
- China
- EU
- Elon Musk
- Brussels
[1] Enrichment Data: The investigation into TikTok's ad transparency issues is still unfolding, with various aspects concerning user data security, addictive design, and protection of minors yet to be fully evaluated. If TikTok fails to comply with the Commission's demands, it could face a fine totalling up to 6 percent of its annual global revenue. Several other platforms, including X and Facebook (Meta), are also under investigation for breaching EU digital rules[1].
- The European Commission, citing TikTok's failure to comply with EU digital rules, has proposed to extend the deadline for the submission of proposals regarding ad transparency to the Council.
- Amidst the ongoing scrutiny of digital businesses, TikTok's potential non-compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations could pose significant financial risks for the platform, given the hefty fines imposed by the Commission could amount to a six percent share of its global annual turnover.
- It's not just TikTok attracting attention from the EU Commission; Elon Musk's platform X and Facebook (Meta) are also among the social media giants being investigated in Brussels for various DSA breaches, with the primary focus on eliminating hate speech, safeguarding user information, and ensuring overall digital ethics.
