There may be more regulatory trouble for TikTok ahead, thanks to an announcement by the European Commission. It has launched “a formal dialogue” with ByteDance’s social app to “review its commercial practices and policy”. This is focusing on consumer rights:
“Areas of specific concern include hidden marketing, aggressive advertising techniques targeted at children, and certain contractual terms in TikTok’s policies that could be considered misleading and confusing for consumers,” as the EC’s announcement explained.
The ‘formal dialogue’ process gives TikTok a month to “reply and engage” with the Commission and its network of consumer protection authorities. “In the European Union, it is prohibited to target children and minors with disguised advertising such as banners in videos. The dialogue we are launching today should support TikTok in complying with EU rules to protect consumers,” said the EC’s commissioner for justice Didier Reynders.
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