The European Commission has announced that TikTok will improve its compliance with advertising and consumer protection rules. TikTok has committed to this after an investigation by (and a following complaint from) the umbrella European consumer organization BEUC, to which the Dutch Consumer Association also belongs. BEUC had found, among other things, that TikTok failed to protect children from hidden ads and inappropriate content.
TikTok has promised that it will more clearly indicate when paid advertising is involved and provide more information about purchasing and using coins and sending gifts.
Although TikTok is taking a small step in the right direction with these changes, TikTok is essentially acknowledging that it has not been complying with consumer protection rules up until now, as Take Back Your Privacy (TBYP) Foundation also argued in its writ of summons. In addition, the changes regarding the protection of children do not go far enough according to TBYP. For example, TikTok has been unwilling to commit to stop profiling children and providing targeted ads to children.
Therefore, the TikTok action remains of great importance. You can still join the action we are taking together with the Dutch Consumer Association against TikTok. Click here for more information and to sign up!