TikTok said: “The Commission’s preliminary findings represent a clearly inaccurate and completely meritless portrayal of our platform, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to challenge these findings through every means available to us.”
TikTok is owned by China’s ByteDance, although a recent agreement with the Trump administration will turn its US arm into a joint venture majority owned by American investors. The venture will provide data and algorithm security, while ByteDance will retain control over the app’s core business lines in the US, including ecommerce, advertising and marketing.
European watchdogs have previously taken action against TikTok for breaking the bloc’s digital rules. Last year, Irish regulators levied a €530 million fine against TikTok for sending users’ data to China, while Brussels also investigated its online advertising practices.
The EU’s move on Friday comes as other countries move closer to banning social media for teenagers.
Earlier this week, Spain was the latest country to announce it would block access to social media for children under 16 in a bid to curb the potentially harmful impact of online content on youth.
France and Britain are also considering similar measures, following the lead of Australia, which in December became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from having accounts for 10 apps deemed potentially harmful to teens and children.
© 2026 The Financial Times Limited All rights reserved, not to be redistributed, copied or modified in any way.
<a href