The Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission (LRTK) has contacted the administration of the social network TikTok, requesting urgent action to remove illegal content found on the platform, which systematically violates the laws of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Union's Digital Services Act.
The LRTK submitted this request as the national regulatory authority in the audiovisual field, acting in accordance with Article 47(1) of the Law on Public Information and Article 9 of the Digital Services Act, which provides for mandatory instructions on the removal of illegal content.

The LRTK request asks for the removal of accounts and videos that may be controlled by bots and that spread disinformation, incite hatred, or disparage democratic institutions, as well as recordings that violate the requirements of the Law on the Protection of Minors from the Negative Impact of Public Information.

The request specifies the removal of 74 accounts that are potentially controlled by bots/inauthentic accounts and 6 accounts of identifiable persons (80 accounts in total), as well as 12 illegal videos under Article 19 of the Law on Public Information and 40 videos harmful to minors (52 videos in total).

The Commission emphasizes that content of this nature poses a threat to the public interest, national security, and the protection of children and adolescents in the digital space.
In its appeal to TikTok, the LRTK highlighted four main problem areas that require an immediate response from the platform.
"To date, social media platform operators have generally responded responsibly and promptly to warnings from the LRTK about illegal content. Therefore, we hope that this time, too, the data we have collected and the very serious, multifaceted violations we have identified will be responded to appropriately," said LRTK Chairman Mantas Martišius. "Cases where disinformation is systematically disseminated on the platform, hatred is incited, or the protection requirements for minors are violated cannot be tolerated, and the responsibility of platforms to ensure a safe information space remains essential." 

1.    Activities of fake and bot-controlled accounts

The first area concerns inauthentic accounts – fake or bot-controlled profiles that coordinate the dissemination of prohibited content and are used to manipulate public opinion on sensitive political, security, and geopolitical issues.

In the LRTK's assessment, such accounts are characterized by repetitive harmful narratives, systematic and suspiciously coordinated activity, and the constant dissemination of disinformation. Such activity may be part of coordinated information attacks and is incompatible with the principles of platform responsibility.
2.    Systematic violations of the law and dissemination of disinformation on accounts belonging to real persons

The second area covers accounts managed by identifiable persons that consistently and systematically violate the legal requirements of the Republic of Lithuania.
The LRTK notes that some content creators have a large audience and public trust, so the disinformation, incitement to hatred, or discrediting of state institutions they spread reaches a large part of society and has a significant negative impact on the public sphere.

In the opinion of the LRTK, such violations should be considered as systematic distribution of illegal content, which creates the conditions for long-term harmful effects.
3.    Illegal videos and misleading information

The third area concerns specific TikTok videos that violate the Law on Public Information.

According to the LRTK, some of the content spreads propaganda and deliberately misleading narratives, distorts factual information, incites hostility, promotes ethnic discord, undermines trust in democratic institutions, and often even questions the sovereignty of the state.

Such recordings contribute to the polarization of society, the formation of misleading beliefs, and the dissemination of narratives deliberately created by hostile states.
4.    Content harmful to minors

The fourth problem area is content that may be harmful to minors and violates the requirements of the Law on the Protection of Minors from the Negative Impact of Public Information.

The LRTK found that the platform distributes videos that use profanity, show indecent gestures, normalize the use of alcohol or psychotropic substances, and present information of a sexual nature.

The availability of such content to children and adolescents poses a risk to their physical, mental, and moral development.
LRTK urges platforms to act responsibly

LRTK emphasizes that the Digital Services Act requires platforms to respond promptly to illegal content, ensure transparency, and implement effective measures to protect users from harmful information.

The Commission looks forward to constructive cooperation with TikTok and prompt action to remedy the identified violations and prevent their recurrence in the future.