Italy’s competition authority has levied a hefty fine of €10 million ($11 million) against TikTok for its failure to adequately control the dissemination of content that poses risks to minors and vulnerable individuals, exposing them to potentially harmful material.
The antitrust agency, AGCM, criticized TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, for its neglect in addressing the specific vulnerabilities of adolescent users, including their susceptibility to imitating group behaviors. According to AGCM, TikTok’s algorithms have facilitated the systematic re-proposal of harmful content to users, disregarding the potential consequences for their safety.
One notable example highlighted by AGCM is the ‘French Scar’ trend, where TikTok users engage in activities like pinching their cheeks to induce lasting bruises, posing significant risks to participants. Despite TikTok’s assertion that it had restricted the visibility of such content for users under 18, the Italian regulator deemed the platform’s measures insufficient.
This fine underscores the growing regulatory scrutiny faced by social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, to protect underage users from harmful content. Last month, Italy’s communications authority, AGCOM, compelled TikTok to remove videos associated with the ‘French Scar’ challenge, further highlighting concerns about the platform’s content moderation practices.
AGCM’s decision to impose fines on TikTok reflects broader international efforts to hold social media companies accountable for safeguarding the well-being of their users, particularly minors. In the United States, where TikTok boasts approximately 170 million users, regulatory measures have been proposed to address national security concerns, including the potential sale of the platform’s operations within a specified timeframe.
Beyond Italy, advocates are calling for concerted action across the European Union to penalize TikTok for its shortcomings in content moderation. There are growing calls to scrutinize and impose stringent measures on Instagram, which has also faced criticism for its handling of child exploitation and indecent content. Moreover children are being hyper sexualized, especially young girls while TikTok’s moderation team doesn’t do enough to protect the young from immoral sexual content.
As pressure mounts on social media platforms to uphold safety standards and protect vulnerable users, regulatory authorities worldwide are stepping up efforts to enforce compliance and hold companies accountable for their actions.
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