The European Commission has formally accused TikTok of violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to design features it alleges are intentionally addictive, particularly for younger users. The preliminary findings, announced Friday, center on concerns that features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and personalized recommendations are not adequately assessed for their potential harm to mental and physical wellbeing.
The Commission’s investigation, spanning two years, suggests TikTok failed to properly evaluate the risks associated with these features, including their impact on minors and vulnerable adults. According to the Commission, TikTok’s design encourages compulsive employ by constantly providing new content, effectively shifting users into an “autopilot mode” and reducing self-control. The assessment too found that TikTok disregarded indicators of problematic app usage, such as nighttime usage by minors and the frequency with which users open the application.
“The Digital Services Act makes platforms responsible for the effects they can have on their users,” stated EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen, emphasizing the Commission’s commitment to enforcing online safety regulations. The EU is now suggesting TikTok implement measures such as screen time breaks, particularly during nighttime hours, and adapt its recommender system to mitigate these risks. A key suggestion is the potential disabling of “infinite scroll” over time.
The Commission’s concerns extend to the effectiveness of TikTok’s existing safety tools. Current screen time management and parental control features are deemed insufficient, as they are easily dismissed or require significant effort from parents to implement effectively. The Commission believes fundamental changes to the platform’s design are necessary to address the identified issues.
TikTok has strongly refuted the accusations, calling the Commission’s findings “categorically false and entirely meritless.” The company stated its intention to challenge the findings “through every means available.”
The DSA empowers the European Commission to enforce strict regulations on large online platforms, with potential fines reaching up to 6% of a company’s total global annual turnover for non-compliance. The Commission’s move signals a significant escalation in regulatory scrutiny of TikTok’s practices within the European Union. The platform has been invited to respond to the preliminary findings, and the Commission will assess the response before determining next steps.
