According to the Commission’s findings, Meta did not provide Facebook and Instagram users with simple and accessible mechanisms for reporting illegal content, nor effective ways to appeal against content moderation decisions. Both platforms are also said to use so-called ‘dark patterns’, deceptive design elements that make it harder to report illegal content.
The commission also found that Meta and TikTok likely imposed complex and burdensome procedures on researchers seeking access to public data, often leaving them with incomplete or unreliable data. Such an approach is a key transparency obligation under the DSA, as it enables public oversight of the impact of platforms on mental health and exposure to harmful content.
The preliminary findings are the result of a detailed investigation carried out in collaboration with Ireland’s digital services regulator – Coimisiún na Meán. The findings do not prejudge the final outcome of the procedure, the European Commission said in a statement.
Meta and TikTok now have the opportunity to review the documentation and respond in writing to the Commission’s preliminary findings. If the findings are confirmed, the companies could be fined up to six percent of their total annual turnover worldwide, as well as periodic fines until full compliance.
The Commission announced that on October 29, 2025, new data access rules will come into force, which will allow researchers to access non-public data of very large Internet platforms and search engines.
The investigations against Meta and TikTok are part of a broader oversight of the implementation of the DSA, which also includes separate proceedings on the compliance of these platforms with other relevant laws of the European Union.
(Vijesti.ba / FENA)
