EU regulators find Meta, TikTok violated Digital Services Act transparency rules

European Union regulators have reportedly identified significant compliance failures by two of the world’s largest social media platforms. According to European Commission findings released Friday, both Meta and TikTok appear to be violating the bloc’s landmark Digital Services Act through inadequate researcher access and problematic content moderation systems.

Researcher Access Under Scrutiny

Sources familiar with the investigation indicate the core issue revolves around how these platforms handle data access for academic and research purposes. The Commission reportedly described the current procedures as unnecessarily burdensome, creating significant obstacles for legitimate research into platform safety and content moderation effectiveness.

Analysts following the case suggest this creates a troubling pattern. When researchers can’t access comprehensive, reliable data, their ability to assess critical issues—like how minors encounter harmful content—becomes severely limited. The Commission’s statement emphasized that partial or unreliable data ultimately undermines the entire research ecosystem that helps inform platform safety improvements.

Meta’s Content Moderation Under Fire

Meanwhile, Meta’s platforms face additional scrutiny over their content reporting and appeal mechanisms. Investigators apparently found that both Facebook and Instagram make it unnecessarily complicated for EU residents to report illegal content. The platforms allegedly require multiple steps that shouldn’t be necessary, potentially reducing the effectiveness of community-based content moderation.

More concerning, according to the Commission’s assessment, is the apparent use of what experts call “dark patterns”—interface designs that can confuse users or manipulate their choices. These design choices might discourage users from completing content reports, potentially allowing problematic material to remain visible longer than it should.

The appeal process also came under criticism. Sources indicate the current system doesn’t give users adequate opportunity to explain why they disagree with content moderation decisions. Without the ability to provide additional context or evidence, the appeals mechanism becomes significantly less effective at correcting mistaken removals or upholding legitimate ones.

Broader Regulatory Context

These findings emerge from investigations launched earlier this year as the European Union continues implementing its comprehensive digital governance framework. The DSA represents one of the most ambitious attempts globally to regulate how large online platforms operate, with particular focus on systemic risks and algorithmic transparency.

For TikTok, the initial probe reportedly examined multiple areas including advertising transparency, minor protection measures, and overall content moderation practices. Meta’s investigation, meanwhile, stemmed from concerns about election integrity protections on both Facebook and Instagram.

The timing is notable as European regulators appear to be moving more aggressively on digital platform enforcement. With potential penalties reaching up to 6% of global annual revenue for confirmed violations, the financial stakes are substantial for both companies.

What Comes Next

Industry observers note this represents preliminary findings rather than final determinations. Both companies will have opportunity to review the investigation documents and challenge the conclusions before any formal penalties are imposed. They can also propose remedies to address the identified issues.

This development signals the European Commission is willing to take enforcement action against even the largest tech platforms. As one analyst familiar with digital regulation noted, it establishes an important precedent for how the DSA will be applied to global social media giants operating in the European market.

The coming weeks will likely reveal how seriously both companies take these preliminary findings—and whether they’ll contest the conclusions or move quickly to implement changes that satisfy regulatory concerns.