The French police have initiated a criminal case against TikTok for negligence in protecting children from harmful and distressing content. This news was reported by the publication 'Glavkom', citing Politico.
The case was opened after a parliamentary investigation led by Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte. According to him, the platform has created an 'algorithmic trap' that causes users, particularly minors, to quickly engage with harmful, distressing, and depressive content.
«Our commission, through observations, concluded that there is an algorithm effectively spreading harmful, distressing, and depressive videos», – stated Delaporte.
This is the first time in France that the protection of minors on social media has served as the basis for a criminal case, indicating a strengthening of regulatory bodies' control over digital platforms. In the European Union, TikTok is regulated as a 'very large online platform' under the Digital Services Act, which imposes corresponding obligations on companies regarding user safety, especially for children.
It is also worth noting that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed gratitude to the youth for what he said was 'saving' TikTok. The platform continued to operate for another year after a ban on its operation was passed in January.
The protection of children from harmful content on TikTok became a precursor to the opening of a criminal case in France. This signals the growing influence of regulators in the digital space and increasing security demands for users, especially children. At the same time, the TikTok controversy shows how important it is to consider the specifics of digital platforms and respond to potential dangers with legal regulation.