Europe’s algorithm watchdogs request more data from YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat

Social media algorithms are once again under fire in Europe. The European Union has invoked the Digital Services Act (DSA) to request more information about the recommendation algorithms that are in place on YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

The E.U. request asks the named companies to provide details about the parameters their algorithms use to serve content to users. The goal of the demand is to determine whether the largest social media platforms amplify harms like child abuse and political misinformation through their recommendation systems.

A statement from the continental body indicates that the E.U. wants to know how YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat handle violative content within their algorithmic practices. The inquiry will “also concern the platforms’ measures to mitigate the potential influence of their recommender systems on the spread of illegal content, such as promoting illegal drugs and hate speech,” the statement reads.

The DSA, enacted in 2022, has emerged as a vital check to Big Tech’s power in Europe. The sweeping law has allowed regulators to target issues like child safety and platform transparency.

The consequences stemming from the DSA have been significant. The platforms targeted by the E.U. have been unable to successfully challenge the body’s enforcement mechanisms, and DSA-related probes have led to the shutdown of problematic apps

, the development of a depersonalized TikTok algorithm, and the expansion of safety measures like the TikTok Election Center. TikTok has also added sliders that give users more control over the content the algorithm recommends to them.

Notably, the U.S. government has not caught up with the E.U.’s rulemaking apparatus for social media. Even as Washington officials aim to curb TikTok’s power, they are falling behind in the battle to control addictive algorithms. Will the latest bit of DSA regulation serve as a Stateside wake-up call?

If that’s to happen, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat will have to comply with the E.U. request. That could be easier said than done, since recommendation algorithms operate as black boxes and platforms may only be able to share a limited amount of information.

But the E.U. still wants its data. The named companies have until November 15 to turn over the coveted info, and they would be wise to heed that deadline. European watchdogs have been more than happy to fine platforms that violate continental rules, and they’d have no problem adding on more sanctions if need be.