TikTok charged with breaking EU rules

TikTok has been charged by the European Commission with breaching the online content rules, as the popular short-video app failed to disclose sufficient information about advertisements on its platform.

The commission said in a statement that TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of advertisements, the targeted users, and who paid for the advertisements.

The preliminary results stem from an investigation into TikTok launched in 2024. The commission noted that the company has failed to comply with the Digital Services Act's obligation to publish an advertisement repository, which allows researchers and users to detect scam ads.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, responded on Friday that it is reviewing the commission's preliminary findings and remains "committed to meeting our obligations under the DSA."

"While we support the goals of the regulation and continue to improve our ad transparency tools, we disagree with some of the commission's interpretations and note that guidance is being delivered via preliminary findings rather than clear, public guidelines," a TikTok spokesperson said. "A level playing field and consistent enforcement are essential."

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn