TikTok and Meta Challenge New Rules in Europe to Tighten Control over Social Media
TikTok and Facebook owner Meta have gone to court to challenge new European Union rules that are designed to crack down on the dominance of digital giants and make online competition fairer, the Associated Press reports.
According to TikTok, the platform is challenging its classification as an "online gatekeeper" (an online platform that has become the main channel for its business users to reach consumers) under the Digital Markets Act, arguing that it is playing the role of a new social media competitor that is displacing traditional players.
At the same time, Meta said that it disagreed with the EU's decision to include its Marketplace and Messenger services in the list of "gatekeepers" under the new rules, adding that it was seeking "clarification on specific points of the law".
Meta does not dispute that it has been designated a gatekeeper, but the company believes that the European Commission made a mistake by singling out Marketplace and Messenger as the core services of the platform.
The Digital Markets Act will come into force in March, and it contains a list of do's and don'ts for big tech companies. The law is aimed at providing users with more choice and threatens with heavy fines in case of non-compliance.
In September, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft were also named "gatekeepers". This is due to the fact that they provide 22 "core platform services", such as Chrome and Safari browsers, WhatsApp messaging, and Google Maps.
Earlier, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), which is a regulator at the EU level, approved the extension of the ban on the collection of personal data of Meta platform users for advertising purposes, which was previously introduced by Norway.
Prior to this, the European Commission sent a request to Meta and TikTok asking them to explain in more detail what they are doing to counter election interference and information influence operations using their platforms.
Earlier, there were reports that Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter (X), was considering blocking the service in Europe in response to the EU's new regulation of Internet platforms.
The EU Digital Services Act, which came into force for the largest social networks on 25 August, requires major platforms to assess the risk of spreading false information, prevent the promotion of malicious content using algorithms and subject their activities to audit.
As The Gaze previously reported, the European Union has launched an investigation into child protection on TikTok and YouTube. The EU wants to find out what measures the US and Chinese platforms are taking to ensure the safety of minors, including their "mental and physical health".