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The European Union has open a second formal investigation into TikTok , announcing Mondaythat it suspects the video communion political program of breaking the bloc ’s Digital Services Act ( DSA ) , an online governance and content moderation framework .
The Commission also say it ’s minded to impose interim measures that could squeeze the company to suspend admission to the TikTok Lite app in the EU while it investigates come to the app poses genial health risks to exploiter . Although the EU has given TikTok until April 24 to fence against the measure — meaning the app remain accessible for now .
The development demonstrate the EU cracking down on a ware launch it deem risky where it can show a weapons platform has not followed expected subprogram .
Penalties for confirmed violations of the DSA can strain up to 6 % of globular yearly upset . So ByteDance , TikTok ’s parent , could face hefty fines if EU enforcers do stop up deciding it has break the law .
While the Commission has n’t yet affirm any breaches of the DSA this is the 2d investigation it ’s opened on TikTok after announcing an ( ongoing ) probe into multiple aspect of its DSA complianceback in February . SinceDecemberX has also been under investigating over a range of DSA conformation concerns .
The EU ’s first TikTok investigation cover multiple issue include the aegis of shaver , advertising transparency , data access for researchers and the peril management of addictive aim and harmful subject . Hence it said the latest investigation will specifically concenter on TikTok Lite , a variation of the video sharing chopine which found in the beginning this month in France and Spain and includes a mechanism that allows user to earn points for doing things like see or like video recording .
Points earned through TikTok Lite can be exchanged for things like Amazon giving vouchers or TikTok ’s own digital up-to-dateness for gifting to creators . The Commission is worried this so - call “ labor and reward ” characteristic could negatively impact the mental health of young users by “ stimulating habit-forming behavior ” .
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The EU wrote that the 2d probe will focus on TikTok ’s compliance with the DSA obligation to conduct and put in a risk judgment account prior to the launch of the “ Task and Reward Lite ” program , with a especial focal point on negative effects on genial wellness , including minors ’ mental wellness . It also said it will look into measures taken by TikTok to mitigate those risks .
In apress releaseannouncing the action , the EU said ByteDance failed to give rise a risk assessment about the feature which it had asked to seelast week — when it gave the troupe 24 hours to produce the papers .
TikTok is regulated under the strict regime of the DSA , which applies to around half a dozen larger platform . This supererogatory level of risk mitigation requirements accommodate them to proactively identify and extenuate systemic risk — such as addictive design that could harm users ’ mental health .
The EU ’s suspicion is ByteDance failed to do this before going ahead and launching TikTok Lite in the two EU marketplace : Since it failed to render the risk judgement paperwork on April 18 the Commission write that it suspect a “ prima facie infringement of the DSA ” .
The regulation bakes in a regime of smaller fine for failure to make request info on time , as appear to have find here . ByteDance could therefore front a penalisation of up to 1 % of its total annual income or worldwide employee turnover and periodic penalties up to 5 % of average daily income or world-wide annual turnover specifically for this character of DSA complaisance failure .
Although the Commission has not confirmed whether it plans to fine TikTok for miscarry to produce the risk assessment document on clip as yet .
ByteDance was contacted for a response to the EU ’s in style DSA enforcement . But as of imperativeness sentence it had not answer . Update : A TikTok voice said : “ We are disappointed with this decision — the TikTok Lite rewards hub is not available to under XVIII , and there is a daily limit on video watch tasks . We will continue discussions with the Commission . ”
It ’s deserving noting the EU ’s crush release raise specific concerns about “ the suspected absence of effective age verification mechanisms on TikTok ” , which is an surface area the Commission ’s first TikTok probe is looking into .
comment on the Commission ’s enforcement action in a argument , Thierry Breton , the commissioner for the EU Internal Market , wrote : “ Endless streams of short and fast - paced videos could be check as fun , but also expose our children to danger of addiction , anxiousness , impression , eating upset , depleted attention spans … With our first DSA non - compliance slip against TikTok still on-going , the party has plunge TikTok Lite which financially rewards excess screen clock time . We suspect TikTok ‘ Lite ’ could be as toxic and addictive as coffin nail ‘ weak ’ . Unless TikTok provides compelling proof of its refuge , which it has failed to do until now , we support quick to trigger DSA interim amount including the suspension system of TikTok Lite characteristic which we suspect could mother dependence . We will part with no endeavor to protect our children . ”
This report was updated with comment from TikTok ; and to corroborate the platform ’s advance to eld verification is being inquire by the EU .
EU open up courtly probe of TikTok under Digital Services Act , citing kid safety , risk management and other concerns
