TikTok: the banning of the social network in Europe “is not excluded”

In this spring of 2024, TikTok is not at all on the rise. After passing Congress and the Senate in the United States, the bill forcing ByteDance to resell its famous social network within nine months to an American company was signed by President Biden last week. Otherwise where no resale has been made, the application will be banned from Uncle Sam’s country.

In Europe, TikTok also seems to be in a weak situation. As part of a debate in which the main party candidates for the European elections took place on April 29, 2024 in Maastricht, “Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted that banning TikTok in the European Union was an option”, Politico reported.

“It is not excluded”, she said when the situation of TikTok in the United States was put on the discussion table. Ursula von der Leyen also added that the European Commission was the first institution in the world to ban the social network on their professional phones.

Note that these statements follow two recent alleged violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by TikTok in Europe. The social network is more precisely under the yoke of two investigations: the first on the remuneration function of TikTok Lite, judged to be capable of creating dependence among young people, and another criticizing alleged failures in the protection of minors.

Politico also explains that under the DSA, “thea Commission may order the temporary suspension of a service as a last resort in all cases”.

It thus seems that the protectionism of the United States towards TikTok has gained ground on the old continent, which could in the coming months consider strong measures to protect European users.