This marks the first time Meta has been formally accused of breaching the DSA, a charge the U.S.-based company has rejected.

The European Commission’s preliminary findings highlight that Meta and TikTok are failing to provide researchers with adequate access to public data, a key requirement for transparency and enabling studies on issues like children’s exposure to harmful content. 

Additionally, the EU criticized Meta for lacking user-friendly mechanisms to report illegal content and for ineffective systems allowing users to challenge content moderation decisions. 

The commission also pointed to suspected “dark patterns” in Meta’s “Notice and Action” mechanisms, describing them as confusing and discouraging for users.

TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, responded by affirming its commitment to transparency but argued that the DSA’s data access requirements conflict with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

“We are reviewing the findings, but regulators need to clarify how to reconcile these obligations,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

Meta, in a statement, denied breaching the DSA, noting that it has implemented changes to content reporting, appeals processes, and data access tools since the law’s enforcement. 

“We are confident our solutions comply with DSA requirements,” Meta said, adding that it continues discussions with the EU.

The accusations come amid tensions, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration criticizing the DSA and threatening tariffs on countries regulating American tech firms. 

EU digital spokesman Thomas Regnier defended the DSA, stating, “It protects free speech by empowering citizens to challenge Big Tech’s content moderation decisions, not censoring them.”

Both companies now have access to the EU’s files and can propose measures to address the concerns. 

Failure to satisfy regulators could lead to fines for each breach per platform. Meta and TikTok also face separate EU investigations, including probes into their platforms’ addictive effects on children.