The European Union on Wednesday, sought additional information from Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube regarding their content recommendation algorithms, as part of its Digital Services Act regulations.
The European Commission issued requests for information to the three platforms, asking for insights into how their algorithms are designed and function. They have until November 15 to respond.
The EU stated that the responses will guide future actions, including the possibility of formal investigations. As very large online platforms, these companies face stringent penalties for non-compliance, which could amount to 6% of their global annual turnover.
The DSA imposes additional systemic risk mitigation rules on VLOPs, requiring them to address potential negative impacts of their AI-driven recommendation systems on areas such as mental health, civic discourse, and the spread of harmful content.
The Commission specifically requested detailed information from Snapchat and YouTube regarding their algorithmic parameters and how these may amplify systemic risks, including issues related to electoral processes and the protection of minors.
For TikTok, the Commission is particularly interested in anti-manipulation measures to prevent malicious exploitation of the platform, as well as risk mitigation strategies regarding elections and media pluralism.
These RFIs are not the first issued by the Commission; previous inquiries have covered election risks and child safeguarding issues. Notably, TikTok is currently the only platform under formal DSA investigation, which began in February over concerns related to minor protection and harmful content management.
TikTok spokesperson Paolo Ganino confirmed receipt of the RFI, stating the company will cooperate with the Commission during the process. Responses from Snap and TikTok regarding the latest requests are pending. The DSA regulations for VLOPs have been in effect since last summer, but investigations into larger platforms remain ongoing, with preliminary findings related to other platforms already noted.
