Germany proposes TikTok be managed by Europeans

Germany has called for TikTok's European operations to be placed under European control, following the model applied in the United States, where the app reorganized its activity to avoid being banned, Agence France-Presse reports. "I am firmly convinced that Europe should be inspired by the American model," Wolfram Weimer said on Tuesday in Brussels, on the sidelines of a European meeting. The German official believes that TikTok's activities in Europe should be entrusted to a European administrator. "That means we should entrust TikTok's European operations to a European manager," the minister explained. In other words, Berlin is suggesting that the algorithm that knows exactly when the user has time for "another 15-second clip" should also be accountable to European authorities.

• Concerns over data collection and Chinese influence

The app, owned by the Chinese group ByteDance, is one of the most popular platforms among young people. In the United States, the dispute over TikTok has focused on its algorithm and fears that it could be used by Chinese authorities to collect data or influence public opinion. Wolfram Weimer expressed similar concerns. "TikTok is collecting data on young Europeans on an unimaginable scale,” the minister said. "This data is transferred to servers whose precise origin we do not know,” he added.

• TikTok seeks to appease Brussels

To address European concerns, TikTok has started storing user data in Europe on servers located on the continent and has introduced restrictions on who can access this information. However, the platform remains under close scrutiny by European institutions.

• Investigations under the new EU digital rules

TikTok is the target of several investigations by the European Union under EU law on digital services and user protection. The debate reflects growing concerns in European countries about the control of personal data and the influence that large digital platforms have on society, especially young people. In essence, Europe is saying that if millions of teenagers spend their evenings watching videos of recipes, dances and cats, then the continent would at least like to know who is holding the button that decides what appears on the screen.