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
**What measures can TikTok implement to combat misinformation and protect young users from harmful content?**
**Interview with Dr. Alex Thompson, Social Media Analyst**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Thompson. Recently, Th. Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, issued a warning to TikTok regarding its responsibility in combating misinformation and protecting young users from harmful content. What are your thoughts on this move?
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for having me. This warning is significant for several reasons. Firstly, TikTok has rapidly become one of the most popular platforms among young people, which places a larger burden on them to ensure that the content circulated on their site is not just entertaining, but also safe and reliable. Breton’s call for transparency regarding their misinformation policies is a necessary step in the right direction.
**Editor:** Breton mentioned the platform’s role in distributing violent or gruesome content. How does this correlate with concerns about misinformation?
**Dr. Thompson:** Misinformation and harmful content often go hand-in-hand. When users, especially impressionable ones like children and teenagers, encounter graphic or misleading information, it can foster fear, desensitization, or even panic. The challenge for platforms like TikTok is not only to address outright misinformation but also to ensure that harmful narratives or sensationalized content are not normalized. By doing so, they hold a responsibility to protect their users from potentially dangerous or misleading information.
**Editor:** There seems to be a broader regulatory scrutiny on social media platforms. How do you see this evolving?
**Dr. Thompson:** Indeed, regarding content regulation, we are at a crossroads. Governments and regulatory bodies are recognizing the vast influence these platforms have over public discourse and personal behavior. The EU is particularly proactive in implementing regulations that demand accountability from tech companies. As we see with TikTok and recent actions against X and Meta, there will likely be more stringent measures and possibly even fines for non-compliance.
**Editor:** In your opinion, how should TikTok respond to these demands?
**Dr. Thompson:** TikTok needs to be proactive in enhancing its content moderation systems. This could include more robust algorithms for detecting and combating harmful content and providing users with better educational resources about misinformation. They should also consider transparency reports outlining their efforts and the results from their initiatives. Building a stronger partnership with fact-checking organizations could further enhance their reliability as a platform.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for sharing your insights on this critical issue. It seems clear that the stakes are high, and the pressure on social media platforms to act responsibly continues to mount.
**Dr. Thompson:** Absolutely. It’s essential for the digital landscape that platforms take these concerns seriously and act swiftly to safeguard their users.