Breton Warns TikTok CEO abide by EU Regulations or face a ban 2023

TikTok has Put GDPR Data protection Guidelines and a Misinformation Code of Conduct into Effect

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STOCKHOLM: Chinese social media company TikTok could face a ban in the European Union if it does not step up efforts to comply with EU legislation before September, the top official overseeing the EU’s internal market told the company’s CEO on Thursday.

European Commissioner Thierry Breton reportedly warned Shou Zi Chew during a video conversation that TikTok had to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) well before the deadline of September 1st.

“We will not hesitate to Adopt the full scope of sanctions to protect our citizens if audits do not show full compliance,” Breton said.

In response, TikTok said that in addition to outlining its efforts to abide by other EU laws, such as the GDPR data protection requirements and a code of practice on disinformation, it was committed to the DSA.

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“The safety of our users is paramount,” Caroline Greer, TikTok’s director of public policy and government relations, tweeted.

The Short-Video App, controlled by Chinese technology giant ByteDance, has been fighting US worries over whether the personal information of its residents may be viewed and it’s content altered by China’s Communist Party or any other organization under Beijing’s control for the past three years.

After the firm acknowledged last month that some of its staff had inappropriately accessed two journalists’ TikTok App user data to track down the source of information leaks to the media, pressure on the company grew.

“With younger audiences comes greater responsibility. It is not acceptable that behind seemingly fun and harmless features, it takes users seconds to access harmful and sometimes even life-threatening content,” Breton said.

“The DSA includes dissuasive sanctions including a ban in the EU in case of repeated serious breaches threatening the life or safety of people,” he said.

The DSA requires online platforms to take more significant steps to monitor the internet for unlawful content or risk fines of up to 6% of annual global turnover.

Also Read: Tiktok is under European Union Investigation