European regulators have accused TikTok of breaking the bloc’s online content rules, exposing its parent company, ByteDance, to a possible fine of up to 6% of its global revenue.
At the heart of the case is TikTok’s failure to publish a comprehensive advertising repository, a requirement under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission’s preliminary findings, issued Thursday, show that TikTok has not provided basic information required by law.
Specifically, the platform did not disclose key details about adverts on its platform, who funded them, who was targeted, and what the content involved. Without this, the public and researchers are left in the dark, unable to track misinformation, scams, or political manipulation.
“Transparency in online advertising — who pays and how audiences are targeted — is essential to safeguarding the public interest,” said Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s tech chief.
The DSA was created to force large online platforms to take responsibility for digital risks. The ad repository is a mechanism meant to stop coordinated disinformation campaigns, fake ads, and covert political influence. TikTok’s non-compliance obstructs that entire process.
The probe into TikTok started back in February 2024. Since then, the Commission has been gathering evidence about advertising among other concerns, including its allegedly addictive interface, risks to children, and restrictions on researcher access to platform data.
And that’s not all. A second, ongoing investigation is digging into TikTok’s role during Romania’s presidential election debacle. The country’s top court annulled the results after discovering that the app may have amplified extremist content, with suspicions of Russian interference in play.
So far, TikTok has not commented publicly on the charges. Under EU law, the company has the right to examine the Commission’s evidence and respond in writing. If its defence fails to convince regulators, the consequences might go beyond finances, to also include reputation.
