The EU yesterday accused Meta and TikTok of breaking the bloc's digital content rules, putting the companies at risk of hefty fines.

The European Union has a bolstered legal armoury that demands Big Tech prevent the spread of illegal content and ensure digital markets are open to competition.

Yesterday, the European Commission said Meta's Facebook and Instagram platforms and TikTok breached the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU's content moderation law attacked by US President Donald Trump's administration.

It is the first time the commission has accused Meta of breaching the DSA, which the US giant rejected. Although the announcement includes TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, it risks angering Trump, who has threatened to impose fresh tariffs on countries with regulations that seek to "harm" American technology.

Despite his threats, the EU has said it will enforce its rules.