Italian Authorities Impose 14.4 Billion KRW Fine on TikTok

Neglecting Harmful Content for Youth... Concerns Over Imitation
Canada Closely Watching US 'TikTok Ban Bill'

Italian regulators have imposed fines on the Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok, stepping up sanctions. TikTok is increasingly being cornered by a series of regulatory measures from Western countries.

AFP reported on the 14th (local time) that the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) fined TikTok 10 million euros (approximately 14.4 billion KRW). The reason was that TikTok failed to adequately protect minors from harmful content.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

AGCM explained, "TikTok did not implement appropriate measures to monitor content that could threaten the safety of minors and vulnerable groups." It pointed out that the guidelines TikTok established to promote itself as a safe space were applied without considering the vulnerabilities of adolescents. It also added that TikTok encouraged continued use by recommending content preferred by users through algorithmic profiling.

The regulators also criticized that "content on TikTok makes it difficult for teenagers to distinguish between reality and fiction and leads them to imitate collective behavior." Last year in Italy, the "French Scar Challenge," where teenagers pinched their own cheeks to create bruises, became popular through TikTok. In response, regulators launched an investigation into whether TikTok neglected harmful content that incites self-harm.

Major foreign media reported that the Canadian government has also begun reviewing the impact of TikTok's business expansion on national security. The Canadian Ministry of Industry announced plans to investigate related matters focusing on TikTok's investment plans. The Canadian government has legal authority to assess potential risks that foreign investments may pose to national security. A spokesperson for the Canadian government stated that while they are monitoring progress on the U.S. "TikTok Ban Bill," this security risk review is unrelated to that.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the "TikTok Ban Bill" passed the House of Representatives on the 13th, increasing regulatory pressure. If the Chinese parent company ByteDance does not sell TikTok within six months, providing TikTok services in the U.S. will be prohibited. Last year, several Western countries including the U.S., the U.K., and Canada banned the use of TikTok on government work devices for information security reasons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.