BRUSSELS: EU officials are threatening TikTok with far-reaching sanctions amid accusations that the video app is allowing harmful content to stay on the platform.

The EU Commission warned the head of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, that the company needed to immediately comply with the bloc's rules or else face sanctions.

"It is not acceptable that behind seemingly fun and harmless features, it takes users seconds to access harmful and sometimes even life-threatening content," EU Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Thursday after a conversation with Chew.

He said he was also concerned about allegations that journalists were being spied on and that personal data was being transferred to places outside Europe.

"I have very explicitly conveyed to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew the need to step up efforts to comply with EU legislation on data protection, copyright and online platforms," Breton said.

TikTok has struggled with various growing pains during its rapid rise to rival the social media platforms of Meta and video platforms like YouTube, notably surrounding the safety and well-being of its many teen users.

The internet platform TikTok, which belongs to the Chinese Bytedance group, has long been criticised for insufficient data protection for young users. It is also feared that the Chinese state could have access to TikTok data. TikTok rejects this.

"We will not hesitate to adopt all possible sanctions if audits do not show full compliance," he added, pointing to the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which is set to hold major platforms accountable for broken rules from September 1 this year.

The new EU law also allows for a ban on services in the EU in case of repeated serious violations that put people's lives or safety at risk.

 - dpa