EU Accuses TikTok and Meta of Violating Digital Services Act Transparency Requirements

Preliminary Findings Against Tech Giants

The European Commission has announced preliminary findings that both TikTok and Meta Platforms violated key transparency requirements under the EU’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), according to official statements released Friday. Sources indicate the executive arm of the European Union determined both companies breached their obligations regarding researcher access to public data, marking one of the first major enforcement actions under the new digital regulations.

Preliminary Findings Against Tech Giants
Specific Violations Identified
Digital Services Act Enforcement
Platform-Specific Concerns
Next Steps and Potential Consequences

Specific Violations Identified

The Commission stated that preliminary investigations revealed both tech giants failed to grant researchers adequate access to public data, a core requirement under the DSA designed to enable independent scrutiny of platform operations. Additionally, analysts suggest Meta faces separate charges regarding its content moderation systems across both Facebook and Instagram.

According to reports, Meta was preliminarily found in breach of obligations to “provide users simple mechanisms to notify illegal content” and to “allow them to effectively challenge content moderation decisions.” The report states these deficiencies affect millions of EU users across Meta’s flagship platforms.

Digital Services Act Enforcement

The European Commission is utilizing the DSA’s comprehensive framework to address what regulators describe as systemic issues in platform transparency and accountability. The landmark legislation, which fully applies to all designated platforms since February 2024, represents the European Union’s most ambitious attempt to regulate digital services and create safer online environments.

Experts monitoring the situation suggest these preliminary findings demonstrate the EU’s commitment to rigorous enforcement of the new digital rulebook. The Commission’s actions signal that transparency requirements for very large online platforms will be strictly enforced, potentially setting precedents for how global tech companies operate within the EU market.

Platform-Specific Concerns

For TikTok, the primary concern revolves around data access provisions that enable independent research into platform dynamics and content distribution. The video-sharing platform, owned by ByteDance, faces increasing regulatory scrutiny worldwide regarding its data practices and content algorithms.

Meta’s alleged violations appear more comprehensive, encompassing both data access issues and fundamental content moderation infrastructure. According to the preliminary assessment, both Instagram and Facebook failed to implement user-friendly reporting systems for illegal content and lacked effective appeal processes for content removal decisions.

Next Steps and Potential Consequences

The Commission has indicated that both companies will have opportunities to respond to the preliminary findings before final determinations are made. Should the violations be confirmed, the DSA empowers regulators to impose significant financial penalties, potentially amounting to up to 6% of global annual turnover.

Industry observers suggest these proceedings could establish important benchmarks for how digital platforms implement transparency measures and content moderation systems across the European Union’s 27 member states. The outcomes may also influence digital regulation approaches in other jurisdictions considering similar legislation.

According to analysts familiar with the DSA enforcement process, the companies now enter a period of examination where they can review the evidence and submit counterarguments before the Commission makes its final decision regarding potential fines and compliance requirements.