EU Flags TikTok for Breaching Digital Services Act Over Addictive Design
Features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendation algorithms were highlighted as posing serious risks to users’ physical and mental wellbeing.
According to reports, the commission’s investigation found that TikTok has not sufficiently evaluated how these design elements affect vulnerable users, including adolescents and adults at risk. The EU noted that certain features reward users with a continuous stream of content, pushing them into what it described as “autopilot mode,” which can foster compulsive behavior.
At this stage, the EU is urging TikTok to adjust its core design, including disabling addictive functions like infinite scroll, introducing effective screen-time breaks, and modifying its recommendation system.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters in Brussels that data indicates TikTok is the second-most-used platform after midnight among children aged 13 to 18, with 7% of 12- to 15-year-olds spending four to five hours per day on the app. “These (TikTok's) features lead to the compulsive use of the app, especially for our kids, and this poses major risks to their mental health and well-being,” he said.
TikTok has the right to respond to the preliminary findings, and the European Board for Digital Services will also be consulted. If non-compliance is confirmed, the platform could face fines of up to 6% of its total global annual revenue, according to reports.
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