A succession of online services have faced scrutiny (and sometimes whopping fines) over their policies around children and privacy. Now TikTok and YouTube are under the spotlight again.
The European Commission has sent both companies formal requests for information under its Digital Services Act (DSA).
The EC wants “more information on the measures they have taken to comply with their obligations related to protection of minors under the DSA” – with a particular focus on “the risks to mental health and physical health, and on the use of their services by minors”.
Both companies have been told to respond to its questions by 30 November. This is part of the European Union’s new regulatory regime for ‘Very Large Online Platforms’, and the responsibilities they have for assessing and mitigating various risks.
The news comes shortly after the EC sent TikTok a separate request for information relating to terrorist and violent content and hate speech, the alleged spread of disinformation, and “general aspects concerning the protection of minors online”.
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