News Mania Desk /Piyal Chatterjee/2nd October 2024
Wednesday, the EU Commission made requests for data from YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok regarding the factors taken into account by their algorithms when suggesting content to users and how much of a role they play in exacerbating certain systemic risks, such as those pertaining to voting, mental health, and the safety of children.The commission stated that it had asked TikTok for more details regarding the steps the company has taken to prevent malicious users from controlling the app and to lower the dangers associated with elections and public conversation.
The EU stated that the tech companies must submit the needed data by November 15 in order for the commission to decide on the next course of action, which may involve fines.
The requests, made under the Digital Services Act (DSA), “also concern the platforms’ measures to mitigate the potential influence of their recommender systems on the spread of illegal content, such as promoting illegal drugs and hate speech,” the EU Commission said in a statement.
In response to the suggestions made by Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, AliExpress, and TikTok, the EU has previously started non-compliance proceedings under the DSA, which mandates Big Tech companies to do more to combat illegal and harmful content on their platforms.
