EU provides TikTok a month to reply to shopper complaints – KIRO 7 Information Seattle

BRUSSELS – (AP) – The European Commission announced on Friday that it had given the Chinese video app TikTok one month to answer complaints from a European consumer group about its business practices.

The EU executive announced that it has started talks with the social media platform and national consumer authorities after the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) issued a warning of alleged violations of consumer rights earlier this year.

The commission said that some contract terms in TikTok’s guidelines could be viewed as misleading and confusing for consumers, adding that concerns were raised about issues such as hidden marketing and promotional strategies for children.

TikTok is very popular with teens and young adults who use it to post and watch short videos.

In February, BEUC filed a complaint against TikTok with the European Commission and the network of consumer protection authorities. It was argued that several provisions in TikTok’s “Terms of Use” were unfair and that the platform could not protect children and young people from hidden advertisements and potentially harmful content.

“The current pandemic has further accelerated digitization,” said Didier Reynders, Justice Commissioner. “This has opened up new opportunities, but also created new risks, especially for vulnerable consumers. In the European Union it is forbidden to speak to children.” and minors with disguised advertisements such as banners in videos. The dialogue we are starting today should help TikTok comply with EU rules to protect consumers. “

TikTok said it complies with local laws and regulations for advertising for young people.

The company has “taken a number of steps to protect our younger users, including by default privatizing all accounts under the age of 16 and disabling their access to direct messages,” said Caroline Greer, director of public order in Europe at TikTok, in a statement. “Additionally, users under the age of 18 cannot buy, send, or receive virtual gifts. We have strict policies that prohibit advertisements that target people under the age of digital consent.”

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