The European Commission has investigated the algorithms of TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. This is due to concerns that vulnerable groups of people consume fake news and content that promotes self-harm.
This was reported by Euronews.
Now TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat must answer questions from the European Commission about how their video recommendation algorithms work.
The investigation is being conducted under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). The regulator is concerned that vulnerable groups of people are being fed fake news related to elections or content that romanticizes eating disorders, depression, and drug abuse.
The Commission is examining the impact of automatic video playback and infinite scrolling. The Commission is also interested in what restrictions companies apply to protect minors and reduce the spread of harmful content.
According to the DSA, platforms with more than 45 million monthly active users must meet strict transparency requirements. Therefore, if companies fail to provide this or false information, they face fines under EU law.
However, this check is only the first step. After analyzing the platforms’ responses, the European Commission will decide on possible further actions.
One senior EU official said the investigation should be a “wake-up call” for platforms to change their behavior, such as allowing users to hide certain types of videos.
