The European Commission has tentatively found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act. According to a notice released on Friday, the issue concerns the platform’s “addictive design” which includes infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommendation engine. The Commission said TikTok had not sufficiently assessed how these features could impact users’ physical and mental well‑being, especially minors and vulnerable adults.
During its inquiry, the Commission concluded that TikTok ignored key indicators of compulsive use, such as nights’ usage times for minors, frequency of app openings and other potential red flags. Current measures-like screen‑time management tools and parental controls-appear inadequate to mitigate the risks posed by the addictive design.
The Commission is urging TikTok to alter the core design of its service. This would involve gradually disabling critical features such as infinite scrolling, implementing effective screen‑time breaks-including at night-and adjusting the recommendation system. TikTok now has the opportunity to exercise its right of defence and submit a written reply to the Commission’s preliminary findings. Should the Commission ultimately confirm its views, it could issue a non‑compliance decision that might carry a fine of up to six percent of the provider’s global annual turnover.
