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EU Launches Second Formal Investigation into TikTok, Focusing on Mental Health Risks
Jayson 24 Apr 2024 11:00
According to news on April 23, the European Union launched a second formal investigation into TikTok. On Monday, the European Commission announced that it suspected that the video sharing platform violated the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which is an online management and content moderation framework.
The European Commission also said it intends to take interim measures to force the company to suspend access to the TikTok Lite app within the EU while it investigates concerns that the app poses mental health risks to users.
Although the EU has given TikTok until April 24 to challenge the measure, that means the app remains accessible for now. The development shows that the EU is cracking down on product launches that it deems risky because it can prove that platforms did not follow expected procedures.
Penalties for proven violations of the Digital Copyright Act can reach up to 6% of global annual turnover. As a result, TikTok's parent company, ByeDance, could face hefty fines if EU law enforcement officials ultimately conclude it broke the law. This is the Commission’s second investigation into TikTok, following the announcement in February of an ongoing investigation into various aspects of TikTok’s DSA compliance.
The European Commission also said it intends to take interim measures to force the company to suspend access to the TikTok Lite app within the EU while it investigates concerns that the app poses mental health risks to users.
Although the EU has given TikTok until April 24 to challenge the measure, that means the app remains accessible for now. The development shows that the EU is cracking down on product launches that it deems risky because it can prove that platforms did not follow expected procedures.
Penalties for proven violations of the Digital Copyright Act can reach up to 6% of global annual turnover. As a result, TikTok's parent company, ByeDance, could face hefty fines if EU law enforcement officials ultimately conclude it broke the law. This is the Commission’s second investigation into TikTok, following the announcement in February of an ongoing investigation into various aspects of TikTok’s DSA compliance.
