EU Regulators Warn TikTok it Must Follow New Rules or Face a Ban on the Continent

E.U. officials warned TikTok it must comply with its new rules or face a ban in all bloc countries, Bloomberg reported Jan. 19. Regulators are concerned young users can access “harmful and sometimes even life-threatening content” within seconds, Thierry Breton, E.U. commissioner for the internal market, said in a statement.

“With younger audiences comes greater responsibility,” he wrote.

Breton spoke with Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, in a video call about the matter Jan. 19. The new rules include the Digital Services Act, which took effect in November. TikTok has until September to comply.

The act seeks to address the spread of disinformation through algorithmic manipulation and the illegal online exchange of goods, services and content, according to the E.U.  If large internet platforms don’t comply with a list of content moderation rules, they will be fined 6 percent of their annual revenue or be banned altogether.

“We will not hesitate to impose these sanctions if necessary,” Brenton wrote.