EU consumer groups accuse Google,consumer groups accuse Google, Meta and TikTok of scam failures
European consumer groups filed complaints on Thursday and Friday against Google, Meta and TikTok with the European Commission and national regulators over how the platforms handle financial scams.
The complaints, backed by the European Consumer Organisation and members in 27 countries, argue the companies are not doing enough under the Digital Services Act to stop illegal and harmful content.
The case matters because it could test how strongly the EU enforces new rules on large online platforms.
EU Consumer Groups
Consumer advocates say the major platforms are still allowing scam content to spread and are not using enough safeguards to protect users. They want regulators to pressure the companies into stronger detection and faster removal of fraudulent material.
Platforms and Regulators
Google, Meta and TikTok are likely to argue that they already invest heavily in fraud controls and that scams constantly change tactics. EU authorities will have to decide whether current moderation and reporting systems meet the Digital Services Act’s standards.
- BEUC's members are national consumer groups, which gives it reach in many EU countries at once.
- The DSA is one of the first major attempts anywhere to regulate very large online platforms at the bloc level.
- Financial scams on social platforms often use fake investment ads, impersonation accounts and rapid account-hopping to evade detection.
