The European Commission has determined that Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are not in compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations set by the EU. This preliminary decision accuses the tech giants of creating barriers for users to report illegal content and challenge moderation decisions.
The investigation revealed that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been employing ‘dark patterns’ – deceptive design practices that impede the removal of harmful content such as child sexual abuse and terrorist materials. Additionally, Meta and TikTok have been criticized for maintaining complex processes that obstruct researchers from accessing essential public data.
As a consequence of these violations, both companies could face fines amounting to six percent of their global annual revenue, pending an official ruling. While the tech giants have the option to contest the Commission’s findings, they are also encouraged to take corrective actions to address the identified issues before the final decision is made.
Source: The Verge