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Feature Story
TikTok fined in Italy after 'French scar' challenge led to consumer safety probe | TechCrunch
Mar 14, 2024 · techcrunch.com
TikTok disputes the AGCM's decision, arguing that the intervention was related to a single small-scale challenge. The platform is also under scrutiny by the European Commission for compliance with algorithmic accountability and transparency provisions in the pan-EU Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA requires TikTok to offer users non-profiling based feeds, but these are off by default. The EU has opened a formal investigation into TikTok, focusing on addictive design, harmful content, and the protection of minors.
Key takeaways
- Italy’s competition and consumer authority, the AGCM, has fined TikTok €10 million for failing to monitor content that may threaten the safety of minors and vulnerable individuals, and for its role in spreading potentially dangerous content.
- The AGCM's investigation was triggered by a "French scar" challenge on TikTok, where users shared videos of marks on their faces made by pinching their skin.
- TikTok disputes the AGCM’s decision, arguing that the "French scar" content was small-scale and that they had already restricted its visibility to under 18s.
- The European Commission is overseeing TikTok’s compliance with algorithmic accountability and transparency provisions in the pan-EU Digital Services Act, where penalties for non-compliance can scale up to 6% of global annual turnover.