The European Union has announced that Meta and TikTok have failed to meet their transparency obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), potentially exposing both companies to substantial fines. The investigation, launched in 2024, revealed that the platforms did not provide adequate access to data for researchers and made it difficult for users to report illegal content or challenge moderation decisions. The EU’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, Henna Virkunnen, emphasized the importance of accountability, stating that platforms must empower users, respect their rights, and allow public scrutiny. The inquiry also found that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook employed ‘dark patterns’—deceptive interface designs—that hindered the reporting of harmful content, such as child exploitation or terrorist material. The European Commission described these practices as ‘confusing and dissuading,’ potentially rendering them ineffective. Meta and TikTok have been given the opportunity to respond to the findings, but if found guilty, they could face fines of up to 6% of their annual global revenue, amounting to billions of dollars. Meta has disputed the findings but expressed willingness to continue discussions with the EU, while TikTok has called for clarity on reconciling the DSA’s transparency requirements with the EU’s stringent privacy regulations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).