Billions in fines on the way? EU takes TikTok to task for opaque advertising

What does TikTok really show us - and who is behind it?

Short clips, dancing teenagers, viral challenges - TikTok has rapidly become the young generation's favorite platform. But behind the colorful videos, a serious conflict with the European Union is brewing. The EU Commission is accusing TikTok of massively violating the new digital law - the Digital Services Act (DSA). It is about non-transparent advertising, veiled political content and the lack of protection against manipulation.

Particularly sensitive: TikTok allegedly failed to label political videos in connection with the 2024 Romanian presidential election as advertising. A court later declared the election invalid due to suspected Russian influence. The question is up in the air: did TikTok possibly unwittingly - or even knowingly - facilitate this manipulation?

The criticism: Advertising in disguise

According to the EU, important information is missing from TikTok's advertising register - such as who is behind the ads, who is financing them and who they are intended to reach. The platform is so opaque that it is practically impossible to recognize disinformation, political propaganda or scams in time. What's more, the search function in the advertising archive is so poor that almost nobody can use it effectively - neither journalists, researchers nor activists.

The EU Commission speaks plainly here: such shortcomings jeopardize the formation of public opinion, especially in the election year 2024, when many European countries will go to the polls. "Citizens have a right to know who is behind the messages they see," says EU Digital Commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

What TikTok says - and what threatens now

TikTok is surprised - and at the same time does not agree. Although it recognizes the DSA in principle, it does not agree with some of the EU Commission's "interpretations". Nevertheless, the company wants to cooperate with the authorities.

But the EU's tone is clear: if the infringement is confirmed, the parent company Bytedance faces a fine of up to six percent of its global annual turnover. For a company of this size, this means a billion-euro fine - and a clear signal to the entire digital industry.

Not an isolated case: other platforms are also trembling

TikTok is not alone in its criticism. Other tech giants such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter) are also being targeted by the EU. They are concerned with algorithmic risks, inadequate protection of minors and a lack of control against hate speech. One thing is clear: the EU is serious about the Digital Services Act - and wants to finally make the internet safer and more transparent.

An end to the TikTok show?

What is happening here is more than just a bureaucratic dispute. It's about what's at stake: transparency, democracy and digital responsibility. With its reach, TikTok has enormous influence - especially on young people. If this influence is undermined by non-transparent advertising and political content, it's not just negligent, it's dangerous.

TikTok & Co. have worked with half-baked rules for long enough. Now is the time for a clear edge. The DSA is not a concert of wishes - it is a compulsory event. If you want to play on the European market, you have to play by European rules. Period.