TikTok Breached Digital Advertising Rules, Say European Commission
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings accusing TikTok of breaking the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) by failing to provide clear and searchable information about ads on its platform. Regulators say the platform doesn’t disclose enough about ad content, who paid for it, or which users are being targeted. “Transparency in online advertising - who pays and how audiences are targeted - is essential to safeguarding the public interest,” said EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen.
If confirmed, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6% of its global revenue. This comes amid multiple EU probes into the platform, including a separate investigation into election interference in Romania and concerns about user protection. TikTok recently avoided another penalty by pausing a new app rollout in France and Spain after concerns voiced by regulators.
TikTok responded by saying it supports the DSA’s goals and is improving its ad tools but disagrees with the Commission’s approach. “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 company spokesperson said. The platform now has a chance to respond before any final decision is made.
