EU Commission Says TikTok and Meta Are Breaking DSA Transparency Rules

The European Commission said today that Meta and TikTok are violating Digital Service Act (DSA) rules related to data transparency. In its preliminary findings, the EU regulator also determined that both Facebook and Instagram lack simple mechanisms allowing users to flag illegal content and challenge moderation decisions.

The Digital Services Act requires companies designated as “very large online platforms” (with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU) to follow a strict set of rules to ensure a safer digital space. That includes allowing researchers to access their data when it “provides public scrutiny into the potential impact of platforms on our physical and mental health.”

“The Commission’s preliminary findings show that Facebook, Instagram and TikTok may have put in place burdensome procedures and tools for researchers to request access to public data. This often leaves them with partial or unreliable data, impacting their ability to conduct research, such as whether users, including minors, are exposed to illegal or harmful content,” the EU Commission said today.

As for Meta, the EU regulator pointed out that the process for reporting illegal content such as child sexual abuse material on Facebook and Instagram “seems to impose several unnecessary steps and additional demands on users.” Moreover, the Commission found that content moderation appeals on both platforms make it difficult for users to “provide explanations or supporting evidence to substantiate their appeals.”

Meta and TikTok can now respond to the EU Commission’s findings and make changes to their services to ensure compliance with the DSA. If they fail to do so, they will face fines of up to 6% of their total worldwide annual turnover.