TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew met with several top European officials in Brussels on Tuesday (Jan 10) as the Chinese social network, heavily criticized in the US, must prepare for new European Union rules ( EU) against disinformation and hate speech.
Shou Zi Chew will meet, at his request, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, as well as her colleagues Vera Jourova, Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice. . In particular, issues related to the protection of privacy, the regulation of content and the safety of minors on the Internet will be addressed.
A call with Thierry Breton on January 19
Brussels recently warned the head of Twitter, Elon Musk, for fear that he will not implement the means required by the EU in terms of moderating messages and fighting disinformation. The European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, had called on him to “significantly increase” his efforts.
Due to this trip to Spain, Thierry Breton will not be able to meet with Shou Zi Chew on Tuesday, but a videoconference between the two officials has been scheduled for January 19.
TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is Chinese, is criticized for its addiction among children and adolescents. In the United States, a law has prohibited its use in the devices of officials, while elected officials accuse it of being a spy and propaganda tool at the service of China, in a context of tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Audits by independent organizations
ByteDance is also the subject of an investigation by the Irish Privacy Authority, which is looking into whether the company has breached European data protection law (GDPR) in relation to the processing of children’s personal data and data transfers to China.
New EU legislation came into force in November to regulate online platforms and better tackle disinformation and hate speech.
This digital services law (DSA) will force large players from the summer of 2023 to be audited at their expense by independent bodies, to assess the risks associated with their use and implement the means to mitigate them.
Source: BFM TV
