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European Commission wants to know more about social media recommendation systems


The European Commission has sent a request for information to YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, asking the social media platforms to enlighten the Commission about the design and functioning of their engagement-based algorithms and recommendation systems.

The European Commission has submitted the information requests under the Digital Services Act (DSA), it says in a press release. The goal of this legislation is to better protect European consumers and internet users against large and powerful tech companies.

The DSA dictates that social media platforms must assess and sufficiently mitigate the risks of their recommendation algorithms, including users’ mental health and the spreading of disinformation and other forms of harmful content.

YouTube and Snapchat have been asked to provide detailed information on the parameters of their recommendation algorithms and their role in amplifying certain systemic risks.

For example, the upcoming presidential elections, civic discourse, and the protection of minors. The European Commission also wants to know what influence their recommendation systems have on the spread of illegal content.

TikTok has to answer the same questions as YouTube and Snapchat, but also what measures the platform takes to avoid manipulation by malicious groups. Policy makers believe these risks may be amplified by TikTok’s recommendation algorithms.

YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok must provide the requested information by November 15. Based on their answers, the European Commission will consider its next steps, including opening a formal investigation or imposing fines.

If the three companies fail to reply before the end of the deadline, the Commission could force the social media platforms to pay penalty payments.

The European Commission is currently fighting battles with several tech companies. In July, the Commission announced it was ready to charge Meta over its ‘pay or okay’ business model.

In September, the European Commission launched two so-called ‘specification proceedings’ against Apple to make changes to its operating systems in order to comply with its interoperability obligations that are dictated in the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Lastly, inside sources say that the European Commission is preparing to draw up a formal complaint against Google for the way the company displays its competitors products in search services like Google Flights and Google Hotels.


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