EU opens formal investigation into TikTok’s impact on minors 

The European Commission opened a formal investigation to review whether the social media app TikTok violated new rules in place that aim to protect minors online, it announced Monday.  

The investigation will review if TikTok, owned by the Chinese-based parent company ByteDance, breached the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU’s new online children protection rule that went into effect Saturday, by its platform design and privacy settings.  

If the commission establishes a breach of the DSA, it could impose a fine of up to 6 percent of the global revenue of the company.  

The formal proceeding launched Monday followed a preliminary investigation conducted in September, according to the commission.  

The proceeding will focus on TikTok’s algorithmic systems, including systems “that may stimulate behavioral addictions and/ or create so-called ‘rabbit hole effects,’” according to the announcement.  

The probe will also review if TikTok has put in place appropriate measures to “ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors,” and if the platform is compliant with DSA obligations to provide a searchable repository for advertisements.  

A TikTok spokesperson said the company will continue to work with experts and the industry to “keep young people on TikTok safe” and explain this work in detail to the commission. 

“TikTok has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with,” the spokesperson said in a statement. 

This story was updated at 3:11 p.m.