Antitrust sanctions TikTok, inadequate controls for minors

The Antitrust Authority imposed a fine of EUR 10 million jointly and severally on three companies of the Bytedance group, the Irish TikTok Technology Limited, the British TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited and the Italian TikTok Italy.

The investigation ascertained TikTok's liability in the dissemination of content - such as that of the 'French scar' challenge - likely to threaten the psycho-physical safety of users, especially if minor and vulnerable.

TikTok has not taken adequate measures to prevent the dissemination of this content, failing to comply with its own Guidelines and reassuring consumers that the platform is a 'safe' space.

The Guidelines are applied without adequately taking into account the specific vulnerability of adolescents, characterised by peculiar cognitive mechanisms. The contents - although potentially dangerous - are disseminated through a 'recommendation system' based on algorithmic user profiling, causing undue conditioning of users to use the platform more and more.

"We disagree with this decision. The content related to the so-called 'French scar',' comments a spokesperson for TikTok, 'had an average of only 100 searches per day in Italy before the Agcm announced the start of its investigation last year. We have long since reduced the visibility of such content to users under the age of 18, even excluding them from the 'For You' page'.