Instagram and Facebook owner Meta, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) have been the primary targets of the EU’s crackdown on big tech, Brussels Signal has found.
Since October 2023, the European Commission has deployed the Digital Services Act (DSA) 56 times against major online platforms and search engines, with more than 50 per cent of the EC’s efforts having focused on these three companies.
The enforcement activities fall into two main categories: requests for information and formal proceedings.
The EC has initiated 30 actions against these platforms, which include both requests for information and formal proceedings.
The US-based Meta has faced the brunt of these proceedings, with 18 DSA measures deployed against it.
According to the EC, the DSA aims to “ensure a safe and accountable online environment” and to “prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation,” a mandate that has evolved into a significant tool for aligning Big Tech with EU regulations.
In October 2022, Thierry Breton, Brussels’ self-styled “digital enforcer” and Commissioner for Internal Market, warned Elon Musk of the EU’s regulatory intentions under the DSA.
“In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules,” Breton cryptically warned in a brief exchange with the X owner.
In Europe, the bird will fly by our 🇪🇺 rules.#DSA https://t.co/95W3qzYsal
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 28, 2022
Earlier this year, the EC launched preliminary investigations into almost all major tech companies covered by the DSA.
Since late 2023, the body has issued “around 40 formal requests” to major online platforms and search engines under the DSA.
Many of the alleged breaches by Meta and TikTok involve accusations they failed to prevent harmful content and focused on their role in allegedly fostering “behavioural addictions” among both underage users and adults.
On April 30, the EC accused Meta of failing to address deceptive advertising and disinformation on Facebook and Instagram, labelling the platforms as potentially being “a risk to the electoral process”.
On May 16, The EC launched another formal investigation into Meta for allegedly breaching the DSA.
Breton accused Meta of not mitigating the risks of negative effects on the physical and mental health of young Europeans.
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) May 17, 2024
Under the DSA, the EC first asks these platforms to provide information on the measures they have implemented to comply with the Act.
Most of the procedures launched by the body so far are in the form of requests for such data.
If the platforms fail to meet these requests or pass the assessments, the EC can move to formal proceedings, which may involve interim measures such as increased monitoring of specific keywords or hashtags, or orders to rectify alleged violations.
Non-compliance decisions can result in fines of up to 6 per cent of a company’s global turnover. For procedural breaches, fines can be up to 1 per cent of annual worldwide turnover.
📽️ Is the EU's digital enforcer telling the whole truth about the Brussels free speech clampdown?
European Commissioner Thierry Breton says the EU's new Digital Services Act is not about restricting free speech but monitoring and rooting out disinformation, leading @JustinStares… pic.twitter.com/o9ASbrxzsD
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) February 15, 2024
