TikTok Slammed for Opacity in Advertising Practices, EU Commission Speaks Out
EU Regulatory Body Accuses TikTok of Breaching Digital Advertising Laws - TikTok under fire for alleged violations in online advertising regulations, as reported by the European Commission.
Let's get real, TikTok's been called out by Brussels for shady practices in online advertising. Turns out, folks aren't aware of who's bankrolling those ads disrupting their feed. And it's not just vague – the platform doesn't even clarify which users are targeted with personalized ads.
"Know who's behind the ad campaigns you're exposed to," says Henna Virkkunen, EU's Digital Commissioner.
Transparency, according to the EU commission, is indispensable for science and the public. It's all about demystifying fraudulent or fake ads, and combating misinformation, especially amid elections.
Remember that ruckus last year during Romania's presidential elections? Well, the EU Commission wasn't pleased with TikTok for skipping on labeling ads from candidate Calin Georgescu as election propaganda. And that's not all – a court declared the election invalid due to suspicion of Russian election interference. In the follow-up round, Calin Georgescu was replaced by another far-right candidate, George Simion — a favorite on TikTok going into the runoff against Nicusor Dan this Sunday.
And it's not just ads and elections that TikTok has mismanaged. The commission is also hot on the trail of other allegations, including exposing minors to harmful content, addiction risks, and potential breaches of election integrity. If the EU Commission's claims ring true, TikTok could be slapped with hefty fines.
So, keep an eye on this one, folks. The EU isn't playing games when it comes to digital transparency.
- TikTok
- EU Commission
- EU
- Social media platform
- Online Advertising
- Brussels
- Henna Virkkunen
Enrichment Data:The European Commission's allegations center around TikTok's non-compliance with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) regarding online advertising transparency. Key concerns include:
- Opaque Ad Financing:
- The Commission found that TikTok fails to disclose details about the advertisers, ad content, and targeting[1][2][3].
- This omission undermines researchers' and the public's ability to scrutinize advertising practices and identify potential deceptions[1][2].
- DSA Violations:
- TikTok is accused of falling short in maintaining an accurate advertisement repository, a requirement under the DSA[2][3].
- The commission underscores the importance of transparency in online advertising for public interest[1].
- Potential Penalties:
- If the preliminary findings hold, TikTok may face fines equating to as much as 6% of its global annual turnover[1][2].
- The company could also face increased supervision to ensure future compliance with the DSA[2].
- Multiple Investigations:
- Beyond advertising transparency issues, the commission is also probing TikTok's other potential breaches, including concerns about election integrity, harmful content promotion, and lax child safety policies[1].
Below are two sentences that contain the required words and follow from the given text:
- The EU Commission, led by Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, has expressed concerns about TikTok's transparency in online advertising, especially in relation to the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA).
- The European Commission's preliminary findings suggest that TikTok may have violated the DSA by failing to disclose advertisers, ad content, and targeting, potentially leading to hefty fines if proven true.
