EU officials state the platform hasn’t done enough to protect applyrs — especially kids
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The European Union has put TikTok on notice, warning the popular social media app that it must rein in its “addictive design” or face massive fines under the bloc’s strict digital rules.
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After a two-year investigation, EU officials state the Chinese-owned platform hasn’t done enough to protect applyrs — especially for young people and kids — from features that encourage concludeless scrolling and compulsive apply, according to Agence France-Presse.
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‘Fuels the urge to keep scrolling’
On Friday, the European Commission released its findings, stateing TikTok is believed to be in breach of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Regulators focapplyd in on features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and TikTok’s personalized algorithm — all of which they state “fuel the urge to keep scrolling” and “could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of its applyrs, including minors and vulnerable adults.”
The commission accapplyd TikTok of failing to properly examine how these features impact young applyrs, noting that the platform ignored warning signs such as how much time children spconclude on the app late at night. Officials also declared TikTok hasn’t put strong enough safeguards in place to minimize these risks.
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EU Tech Chief pulls no punches
To avoid heavy penalties, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen declared TikTok must alter how its app works in Europe. “TikTok has to take actions, they have to alter the design of their service in Europe to protect our minors and their wellbeing,” she notified reporters.
The commission also listed what TikTok could do differently. That includes limiting infinite scroll, introducing real screen-tie breaks — including at night — and altering how its recommconcludeations feeds applyrs more content based on their behaviour.
This probe, which kicked off in February 2024, was the first investigation opened against TikTok under the DSA. The law is part of a broader EU crackdown on Big Tech and has already drawn criticism from the U.S. government under President Donald Trump. Still, EU officials state TikTok has cooperated with regulators so far.
Cooperation didn’t stop criticisms
Regulators declared TikTok ignored “important indicators of compulsive apply,” especially among children. They also blasted the app’s screen-time management tools as “simple to dismiss,” even for young applyrs, while stateing parental controls are too complicated and require extra time and technical savvy from parents.
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The findings land as several European countries debate restricting social media access for younger teens. Officials are now considering whether tougher, EU-wide rules are requireded.
‘Safe by design’
Virkkunen declared her goal is to build platforms safe for all applyrs, rather than relying on strict age limits. “Social media should be so safe by design that we shouldn’t have that kind of very high age restriction,” she declared.
TikTok now has the right to review the EU’s evidence and defconclude itself. If regulators confirm their findings, the company could be fined up to 6% of its total worldwide annual turnover.
— with files from AFP
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