EU regulators criticised TikTok on Thursday, saying it wasn't clear enough about the ads people see on the app, which breaks digital content rules.

The European Commission has stated in its initial findings that TikTok's ad library doesn't meet the standards required by the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which covers 27 countries.

The committee explained that the advertising database is very important for researchers to find fake ads, hybrid threat campaigns, coordinated information operations, and misleading advertisements, especially during elections.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) is a comprehensive set of rules designed to clean up social media and protect users from risks like election-related misinformation. Platforms must be transparent about digital advertising, including why specific ads are shown and who is paying for them.

The committee noted that TikTok limits the usefulness of its tools because it doesn't provide all the necessary information about ad content, target users, and who pays for them. Furthermore, its database doesn't allow for comprehensive searches of ads based on this information.

TikTok has stated that they are currently reviewing the committee's findings and are committed to continuing their efforts to meet the requirements of the DSA.

"In a statement, the company said they support the aims of the regulations and are working to improve tools for clearer advertising. However, they disagree with some interpretations made by the committee. They also noted that the guidance isn't official public guidelines, but comes from early research findings."

Henna Virkkunen, Vice-President of the Committee on Technical Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, stated that flaws in the advertising database prevent a "full assessment" of the risks posed by advertising targeting systems.

Vilkkanen stated that transparency in online advertising, meaning knowing who pays for it and how audiences are targeted, is vital for protecting the public interest. She emphasized that citizens have the right to know who is behind the messages they see, whether it's to protect fair elections, safeguard public health, or shield consumers from misleading ads.

TikTok has the chance to share its views before the committee makes a final decision, which could result in a fine of up to 6% of the company's global yearly revenue.

TikTok is also under investigation by the EU to see if it failed to handle risks linked to concerns about election rule breaches and alleged Russian meddling in the Romanian presidential election last year, which caused disruption.