EU Charges Meta and TikTok with Widespread DSA Violations

The European Commission has formally accused Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok of violating key provisions of the Digital Services Act, saying both firms have failed to address illegal content, hindered researchers’ access to platform data, and that Meta’s appeals process does not meet regulatory requirements. The Commission has given the companies a chance to remedy these shortcomings; if not, they could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.

For Meta, the Commission highlights two main concerns: inadequate mechanisms for reporting illegal content, including CSAM, due to multi-step processes and “dark design patterns”; and ineffective appeal procedures that prevent users from explaining their position or submitting evidence. The authorities also accuse both Meta and TikTok of creating overly complex systems that hinder researchers from accessing publicly available data, contravening the DSA’s transparency obligations.

According to the Financial Times, Meta said it has updated its reporting options, appeals processes, and data access tools in line with the law, while TikTok argued that the DSA requirements risk conflicts with the GDPR.