⚖️ EU finds TikTok and Meta breached DSA

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EU Regulators Find TikTok and Meta in Breach of Digital Services Act

The European Commission (EC) has found that both Meta and TikTok failed to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a landmark legislation aimed at ensuring safer, more transparent online spaces. The preliminary findings allege that both companies’ tools for granting researchers access to public data are overly complex and restrictive, limiting the ability to study illegal or harmful content, including that affecting minors. Meta was also found to have breached obligations to provide simple methods for EU residents to report illegal content on Facebook and Instagram. Regulators accused the company of using “dark patterns” to make reporting and appeals more difficult, calling these practices “confusing and dissuading.”

The DSA’s Teeth Are Showing

The DSA represents a fundamental shift in how Europe regulates digital platforms, placing legal responsibility on tech giants to mitigate risks and ensure transparency. These findings demonstrate that Brussels is willing to enforce those obligations with vigour. The Commission’s criticism of “dark patterns” highlights growing intolerance for manipulative design tactics that nudge users toward outcomes favourable to companies. TikTok’s defence, that easing data safeguards might violate privacy rules under the GDPR, points to a deeper policy tension between data transparency and data protection. But regulators appear unmoved, signalling that platforms can no longer hide behind complexity or conflicting interpretations of the law.

Transparency as a Competitive Advantage

For startups, this enforcement wave is a double-edged sword. On one hand, stricter compliance requirements raise the operational bar for all digital platforms. On the other hand, they level the playing field by forcing incumbents like Meta and TikTok to open up their ecosystems. Founders operating in social, content, or AI spaces should take note: the future of trust lies in transparency. Building products with clear reporting systems, user-friendly consent flows, and auditable moderation processes isn’t just about regulatory compliance; it’s a brand advantage. Startups that design for accountability from day one will not only sidestep legal headaches but also earn the confidence of users and regulators alike.

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