Brussels accuses TikTok of violating EU law on ads, threatens heavy fine

The European Commission today accused Chinese social network TikTok of violating the European Union's Digital Services Act by failing to be transparent in its advertising, threatening a fine of up to 6% of its annual turnover.

“Today, the Commission informed TikTok of its preliminary view that the company does not comply with the obligation under the Digital Services Act to publish an ad repository”, which is “critical for investigators and civil society to be able to detect fraudulent ads, hybrid threat campaigns, as well as coordinated information operations and false ads, notably in the context of elections”, the institution announces in a press release.

In these preliminary findings, Brussels argues that “TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the ads, the users targeted by the ads and who paid for the ads” and, furthermore, does not allow its users to carry out “an exhaustive search for ads”.

The Commission's preliminary findings are based on an in-depth investigation that included analysis of internal company documents, testing of TikTok's tools and interviews with experts.

The Chinese company can now contest it, but if the institution's preliminary opinion is confirmed, the EU executive could issue a non-compliance decision, implying a fine of up to 6% of the provider's total annual worldwide turnover, as well as a period of enhanced supervision.

The European Commission today accused Chinese social network TikTok of violating the European Union's Digital Services Act by failing to be transparent in its advertising, threatening a fine of up to 6% of its annual turnover.

“Today, the Commission informed TikTok of its preliminary view that the company does not comply with the obligation under the Digital Services Act to publish an ad repository”, which is “critical for investigators and civil society to be able to detect fraudulent ads, hybrid threat campaigns, as well as coordinated information operations and false ads, notably in the context of elections”, the institution announces in a press release.

In these preliminary findings, Brussels argues that “TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the ads, the users targeted by the ads and who paid for the ads” and, furthermore, does not allow its users to carry out “an exhaustive search for ads”.

The Commission's preliminary findings are based on an in-depth investigation that included analysis of internal company documents, testing of TikTok's tools and interviews with experts.

The Chinese company can now contest it, but if the institution's preliminary opinion is confirmed, the EU executive could issue a non-compliance decision, implying a fine of up to 6% of the provider's total annual worldwide turnover, as well as a period of enhanced supervision.

The European Commission today accused Chinese social network TikTok of violating the European Union's Digital Services Act by failing to be transparent in its advertising, threatening a fine of up to 6% of its annual turnover.

“Today, the Commission informed TikTok of its preliminary view that the company does not comply with the obligation under the Digital Services Act to publish an ad repository”, which is “critical for investigators and civil society to be able to detect fraudulent ads, hybrid threat campaigns, as well as coordinated information operations and false ads, notably in the context of elections”, the institution announces in a press release.

In these preliminary findings, Brussels argues that “TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the ads, the users targeted by the ads and who paid for the ads” and, furthermore, does not allow its users to carry out “an exhaustive search for ads”.

The Commission's preliminary findings are based on an in-depth investigation that included analysis of internal company documents, testing of TikTok's tools and interviews with experts.

The Chinese company can now contest it, but if the institution's preliminary opinion is confirmed, the EU executive could issue a non-compliance decision, implying a fine of up to 6% of the provider's total annual worldwide turnover, as well as a period of enhanced supervision.