France has launched a criminal case against TikTok: what the platform is accused of.

According to inkorr.com: French law enforcement has initiated a criminal proceeding against TikTok due to insufficient protection for children from dangerous and distressing content. This was reported by the publication 'Glavkom', citing Politico.

Reasons for the proceedings

This proceeding was initiated as a result of a parliamentary investigation led by Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte. He noted that the platform has an 'algorithmic trap' that allows users, especially children, to immerse themselves in the consumption of dangerous, distressing, and depressive content.

“Our committee, through observations, concluded that there is an algorithm that effectively promotes harmful, distressing, and depressive videos,” Delaporte stated.

Significance for regulation

This is the first time in France that the question of protecting minors on social networks has been the basis for a criminal proceeding, indicating an increase in regulatory control over digital platforms. TikTok in the European Union is classified as a 'very large online platform' according to the Digital Services Act, which imposes obligations on companies to ensure user safety, particularly for children.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy that former US President Donald Trump thanked the youth for what he said was their 'preservation' of TikTok. The platform continued to exist for another year after a ban on its operations was imposed in January.

Thus, protecting children from harmful content on TikTok has become the reason for opening a criminal case in France, reflecting the increasing attention of regulators to the digital environment and the growing demands for user safety, especially for children. This underscores the importance of responding to potential threats in the field of legal regulation.