European Commission Uncovers Transparency Issues in Social Media: New Findings on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram
As part of a global initiative to enhance transparency and compliance of digital platforms with EU legislation, the European Commission has released the results of extensive investigations into three major social networks: TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
According to official sources, these platforms continue to pose significant barriers for researchers and regulatory bodies, making access to their data difficult and hindering efforts to analyze security and user rights compliance.
The findings indicate that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, along with TikTok, consistently complicate data collection processes and fail to provide effective complaint mechanisms for users reporting illegal or harmful content.
Special attention has been given to the safety of minors — research shows that these platforms lack simple and clear tools for reporting sexually explicit content or propaganda of terrorism.
Besides challenges in filing complaints, procedural difficulties in appealing have been identified, which can intimidate users and foster perceptions of injustice.
The European Commission emphasizes that open access to data is a fundamental aspect of transparency mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the absence of such access significantly hampers oversight and societal impact assessments of these platforms.
Meanwhile, Meta has already responded to preliminary findings, claiming their policies comply with European laws, though users and activists remain skeptical of tangible changes.
The EU is expanding its investigation to include other social media networks, notably X — the platform owned by Trump’s allies.
The goal of these comprehensive efforts is to hold digital giants accountable, promote transparency, and protect users from harmful and false information online.