TikTok must "spare no effort" to counter the spread of disinformation on the short video sharing app as EU looks to control disinformation in the region.

TikTok CEO Told to Tackle Disinformation: Put Your All Into It!

BRUSSELS: TikTok has “spared no effort” to prevent the spread of disinformation on the short video-sharing app, EU industry chief Thierry Breton told the company’s chief executive on Monday, as the European Union steps up efforts to curb the forces of Big Tech.

Last month, Breton gave TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, an Oct. 25 deadline to provide information on its crisis management efforts and ordered the company to provide information by Nov. 8 on how it protects elections and minors’ online integrity on its platform. .

The European Commissioner referred to changes made to TikTok’s platform in recent months with new user protection features and investments in content moderation and trust and security.

“My service and I are now investigating whether this is sufficient to ensure compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA),” Breton told Reuters in written comments after a video call with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

“Because now more than ever, we must spare no effort to protect our citizens – especially children and young people – from illegal content and disinformation,” he said.

Caroline Greer, TikTok’s director of public policy, said in a post on social media X that the company was pleased that Breton recognized its compliance efforts.

DSA calls on major online platforms to do more to combat illegal and harmful online content on their platforms. It is one of the recent EU rules aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech.

Chew is due to meet EU Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova and EU Competition Authority Director Didier Ryenders in Brussels on Tuesday.

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