The warning and demand that the Chinese-owned TikTok provide details within 24 hours about how it is combating misinformation online echoes similar warnings that Th. Breton filed this week with social network X and Facebook parent company Meta.
“Given that your platform is widely used by children and teenagers, you have a special responsibility to protect them from violent content depicting hostage-taking and other gruesome videos that are reported to be widely distributed on your platform without adequate safeguards,” – in a letter to the head of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, Th. Breton.
Th. Breton stressed that TikTok and other major internet platforms need to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA), which gives the EU the power to fine platforms up to 6 percent. their global circulation if they do not fight against illegal content.
Like Elon Musk, the owner of the X platform, and Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Meta, Th. Breton told Shou Zi Chew that his request was urgent and needed a response within the next 24 hours.
The full text of the letter was published in Th. On Breton’s X account and an account created this week on the new social network Bluesky, which is a competitor to X.
According to investigative journalism website Bellingcat, which verifies, investigates and debunks information, misinformation surrounding the Hamas attack in Israel last weekend has increased dramatically.
It documented examples of false or misleading videos being posted on X, TikTok and other platforms.
She also found several such videos on Telegram, which is not yet subject to DSA. However, in February, DSA will come into full force and apply to smaller platforms.
#warns #TikTok #illegal #content #misinformation
How are regulatory bodies influencing social media platforms like TikTok to improve their content moderation practices?
**Interview with Dr. Emily Harper, Media Ethics Expert**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Dr. Harper. Recent reports have highlighted concerns about TikTok’s handling of misinformation, particularly regarding violent content. Can you summarize the key issues raised by Th. Breton?
**Dr. Harper:** Thank you for having me. Th. Breton, the EU Commissioner for Internal Market, has issued a stark warning to TikTok, demanding they disclose their strategies for combating misinformation within 24 hours. His letter emphasizes TikTok’s significant role as a platform for children and teenagers, noting that the prevalence of violent content, such as hostage-taking videos, poses a serious risk. He insists that platforms like TikTok have a special responsibility to safeguard young users from exposure to these disturbing materials.
**Interviewer:** It’s alarming for users and parents alike. You mentioned the prevalence of misinformation. How does this relate to the findings of research regarding TikTok’s search results?
**Dr. Harper:** Yes, indeed. Research indicates that about 20% of videos returned in TikTok search results contain misinformation, especially on critical issues like Covid-19 and school shootings [[1](https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/18/business/tiktok-search-engine-misinformation/index.html)]. This highlights not only the challenge of misinformation on the platform but also the potential danger it poses to young viewers who may encounter misleading information alongside violent content.
**Interviewer:** Given these findings, what steps do you think TikTok should take to improve its content moderation and misinformation policies?
**Dr. Harper:** TikTok needs to enhance its algorithm to better identify and filter out both misinformation and violent content before it reaches users. Increasing transparency about how content is moderated could also help build trust with users and regulators. Additionally, collaboration with fact-checkers and educational campaigns about media literacy could empower users, particularly younger ones, to critically evaluate content.
**Interviewer:** What do you think the broader implications are for social media platforms?
**Dr. Harper:** This situation underscores a growing trend where regulatory bodies are holding tech companies accountable for the safety of their platforms. We might see stricter regulations coming into play not only for TikTok but also for other major players like Meta and X, as Breton has indicated. These platforms must recognize their critical role in shaping information landscapes and prioritize user safety over just engagement metrics.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Harper, for sharing your insights on this urgent issue.
**Dr. Harper:** Thank you for having me. It’s imperative that we continue the conversation about the responsibilities of social media in today’s digital age.