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The European Union (EU) has accused Meta and TikTok of breaching its digital regulations, a move that could strain relations with US President Donald Trump, who has warned he may impose new tariffs on countries seen as targeting American technology.
Despite Trump’s threat, EU officials insist they will uphold the bloc’s strict digital rules.
In its preliminary findings, Brussels said Meta and TikTok had failed to give researchers sufficient access to public data — a requirement under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Regulators emphasised that the issue goes beyond transparency, saying researchers must be able to study crucial topics such as how much harmful content children encounter online.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, said it remained committed to openness.
“We are reviewing the European Commission’s findings, but some data access demands could conflict with GDPR protections,” a spokesperson stated. “If full compliance with both laws proves impossible, we call for guidance from regulators on how to balance these obligations.”
The EU also accused Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, of failing to provide simple tools for users to report illegal content or appeal moderation decisions.
Regulators said the companies were using “dark patterns” — deceptive design tactics that confuse or discourage users.
The DSA requires platforms to clearly explain their moderation choices, but the EU said Meta had not met this obligation.
Meta rejected the claims, saying, “We disagree with any suggestion that we have breached the DSA. Since the law came into force, we’ve improved our reporting options, appeals process, and data access tools.”
Both Meta and TikTok can now review the EU’s case files and submit proposals to resolve the concerns. If regulators are unsatisfied, they may impose fines for each breach on every platform involved.
EU digital spokesman Thomas Regnier defended the law, saying it protects rather than restricts free expression.
“When accused of censorship, we show that the DSA does the opposite — it safeguards free speech and allows Europeans to challenge Big Tech’s unilateral decisions,” he said.
Meta and TikTok are also facing separate EU investigations into whether they adequately protect children from the addictive features of their platforms.
