EU Charges TikTok Over Content Regulations
The European Commission has formally accused TikTok of violating EU online content regulations, particularly due to its design that contributes to user addiction. The platform could face fines up to 6% of its parent company ByteDance’s global revenue if it doesn’t make necessary changes.
This action by the EU’s regulatory body centers on specific features of TikTok, such as the infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and advanced algorithms. The investigation is part of a broader effort, under the Digital Services Act, aimed at increasing oversight of major tech companies.
There’s a particular concern with TikTok’s algorithm, which has been described as a psychological tool originating from China, drawing extra scrutiny from EU regulators. In response to these accusations, TikTok strongly denied the claims made by the European Commission, characterizing the findings as a “categorically false” representation of their platform.
The commission expressed worries about how TikTok’s design encourages constant content consumption, potentially harming users—notably children and at-risk adults. They highlighted that TikTok has not properly evaluated the impact of its features on users’ health, like the time minors spend on the app, especially at night.
According to the EU watchdog, TikTok seems to have neglected to implement adequate safety measures, such as parental controls or screen time management tools, which could help mitigate these concerns. The committee underscored that significant design changes are necessary.
EU technology chief Hena Virkunen mentioned the anticipated changes from TikTok, stating, “We look forward to the aftermath… TikTok must take action and redesign its service in Europe to protect our minors,” indicating that the pressure is indeed on the platform.
The European Commission has suggested several alterations, such as disabling the infinite scroll after a certain time, enforcing screen time breaks, particularly at night, and revamping the recommendation system. Virkunen noted that there’s ongoing research into other online platforms, with further announcements expected soon, though he refrained from naming specific companies.
Interestingly, just last month, TikTok reached a settlement over a lawsuit concerning social media addiction with Meta and YouTube, and previously dealt with DSA-related violations concerning ad transparency.
