The European Commission has preliminarily found that TikTok’s platform design may breach the Digital Services Act (DSA), citing concerns over addictive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and its highly personalised recommender system.
In findings released in Brussels, the Commission said its investigation indicates TikTok failed to properly assess the risks these features pose to users’ physical and mental wellbeing, particularly minors and vulnerable adults. Regulators argue that by continuously “rewarding” users with new content, certain design elements encourage compulsive behaviour and reduce self-control by shifting users into what experts describe as an “autopilot mode.”
The Commission said TikTok did not sufficiently account for warning signs of compulsive use, including the amount of time minors spend on the app at night, how frequently users reopen it and other behavioural indicators.
In addition to concerns about risk assessment, the Commission concluded that TikTok appears to have fallen short in implementing effective mitigation measures. Existing screen time management tools and parental controls were described as insufficient because they are easy to dismiss and require additional effort from parents. According to the Commission, these safeguards introduce limited friction and may not meaningfully reduce excessive use.
At this stage, regulators say TikTok may need to modify the core design of its service. Potential changes could include disabling infinite scroll over time, introducing more robust screen-time breaks, particularly during nighttime hours, and adjusting its recommender systems to limit addictive effects.
The findings are preliminary and do not prejudge the final outcome. TikTok now has the opportunity to review the Commission’s investigation file and respond in writing, while the European Board for Digital Services will be consulted.
If the conclusions are confirmed, the Commission could issue a non-compliance decision and impose a fine of up to 6% of TikTok’s total worldwide annual turnover.
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