Italy’s antitrust regulator AGCM has announced a significant penalty against three TikTok units, totaling 10 million euros ($10.94 million), citing insufficient content checks on its platform that could potentially harm young or vulnerable users.
TikTok, a subsidiary of Chinese firm ByteDance, along with other social media giants like Facebook and Instagram’s parent company Meta Platforms, are facing increasing regulatory scrutiny worldwide to safeguard underage users.
According to AGCM, TikTok has failed to implement adequate measures to prevent the spread of harmful content and has not fully adhered to its own guidelines, despite reassuring users that the platform is a safe environment.
The regulator specifically highlighted the presence of certain content, such as “challenges,” on TikTok that pose risks to minors or vulnerable individuals.
One example cited by the Italian authority involves videos depicting young people engaging in a dangerous activity known as the “French scar” challenge, which entails pinching cheeks to create lasting bruises on the cheekbone.
Last month, Italy’s communications authority AGCOM compelled TikTok to remove such videos from its platform.
AGCM emphasized that this potentially hazardous content is further propagated through profiling algorithms, leading to undue influence on users who are encouraged to spend more time on the platform.
TikTok has not yet responded to the fine imposed by the Italian regulator.
Meanwhile, in the United States, where TikTok boasts approximately 170 million users, the social media app faces the threat of a ban unless its Chinese parent company divests its ownership within about six months, as outlined in a draft bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday.