TikTok Asked To "Try Maximum" To Fight The Disinformation Spread By The EU

EU industrial head Thierry Breton (photo: Twitter @ThierryBreton)

EU industry chief Thierry Breton told TikTok CEO on Monday, November 6, that TikTok should "fully try" to counter disinformation on the short video-sharing platform. The move comes as the European Union increases efforts to limit the power of Big Tech.

Last month, Breton gave a deadline on TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance from China, until October 25 to provide information on its crisis response measures. In addition, he also ordered the company to provide details as of November 8 on how to protect election integrity and children on its platform.

The European commissioner has shown changes on the TikTok platform in recent months with new features to protect users and invest in content and security moderation.

"My services and I are now investigating whether this is enough to ensure compliance with the DSA (Digital Service Law)," Breton told Reuters in a written comment after a video call with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

"Because now more than ever, we must make maximum efforts to protect our citizens - especially children and adolescents - from illegal content and disinformation," he said.

TikTok's Director of Public Policy, Caroline total, said in a post on social media platform X that the company was pleased that Breton acknowledged their compliance efforts.

DSA requires large online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful online content on their platforms. This is one of the latest sets of EU rules aimed at controlling Big Tech's power.

Chew is scheduled to meet with EU Vice President for Value and Transparency, Vera Jourova, and EU antitrust chief Didier Ryenders in Brussels on Tuesday, November 7.