The European Commission launched an investigation against TikTok for allegedly violating EU rules on child protection and advertising transparency on the social network. The commission is investigating whether TikTok’s algorithms create addiction or the so-called “rabbit hole effect,” that is, the phenomenon that the app floods users with similar content if they show interest in a topic.
The commission is also investigating privacy settings for minors, as well as whether this Chinese platform meets the obligation of a repository of displayed advertisements.
The investigation relates to potential breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA), a relatively new set of laws governing online platforms. The DSA requires that they manage various risks such as protecting the mental well-being and rights of children.
The laws also prohibit the use of minors’ data to serve targeted ads to them.
If it turns out that TikTok has indeed violated these rules, it faces a fine of up to 6 percent of annual revenues, dpa writes.