The European Union (EU) has ordered three social media platforms including YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok to provide information on the layout and functionality of their recommender algorithms in line with its Digital Services Act.
The Commission announced on Wednesday that the inquiry centers on the methods that different online platforms employ to recommend information to users, with a special focus on possible systemic issues on the protection of minors, mental health, and election integrity.
In a statement, the EU outlined how the DSA framework requires social media companies to “assess and adequately mitigate risks stemming from their recommender systems,” citing user mental health and the dissemination of dangerous information as two such hazards.
