Italy's competition watchdog Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (AGCOM) has imposed fines totalling 10 million euros on three subsidiaries of the popular social media platform TikTok. As reported by Reuters, the fine comes as a result of what the watchdog describes as inadequate measures to monitor content that could potentially harm young or vulnerable users.
The Italian regulator highlighted instances of videos depicting young individuals engaging in a challenge known as the "French scar," which involves pinching cheeks to create a lasting bruise on the cheekbone. This practice, deemed unsafe, has garnered attention on social media platforms like TikTok.
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A spokesperson for TikTok, the short video platform owned by ByteDance, expressed disagreement with the decision, stating that the platform had already taken steps to limit the visibility of such videos for users under the age of 18.
Despite this, last month, Italy's communications authority AGCOM mandated the removal of these videos from the platform.
The competition watchdog further criticised TikTok for not effectively preventing the spread of harmful content through its profiling algorithms. It stated that TikTok had failed to fully adhere to its safety guidelines, leaving customers with a false sense of security about the platform's safety measures.
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Meanwhile, in the United States, TikTok faces potential regulatory challenges. With approximately 170 million users in the country, a draft bill passed by the US House of Representatives proposes a ban on the app unless its Chinese owners divest ownership within six months.
These developments reflect growing global scrutiny on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram to better protect underage users and curb the spread of harmful content.