EU Accuses Meta and TikTok of Transparency Violations Under Digital Services Act
The European Union has taken a significant step in digital accountability by formally accusing major tech giants Meta and TikTok of violating key transparency requirements set forth by the new Digital Services Act (DSA).
According to the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, these companies failed to provide adequate access to open data for experts, a fundamental aspect of transparency mandated by the law.
Meta, the parent company of popular platforms Facebook and Instagram, additionally did not offer users effective mechanisms to flag illegal content or appeal moderation decisions.
This raises concerns among European policymakers, who emphasize that public trust is the cornerstone of democracy.
European Commissioner for Technological Sovereignty, Ganna Verkuunen, stressed that communities must have rights protected and platforms must operate transparently.
She warned that if these violations are confirmed, companies could face fines up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
Meta responded that they disagree with the violation claims and are continuing negotiations with regulators, asserting that they have already implemented changes to comply with the law.
The ongoing discussion about tightening digital regulation and potential access restrictions remains timely, especially as the EU pushes forward with its digital sovereignty strategy through the DSA and Digital Markets Act (DMA), policies that have met resistance from some US tech companies and policymakers.