The European Union has warned TikTok that it must alter what it describes as the platform’s “addictive design” or risk substantial fines, after concluding the app breached online safety rules following an investigation launched by the European Commission in February 2024.
In its preliminary findings, the Commission said TikTok failed to properly assess the risks posed by features such as autoplay and infinite scroll, particularly to children’s wellbeing, and did not put sufficient measures in place to reduce potential harm.
TikTok rejected the conclusions, with a spokesperson telling the BBC the findings were “categorically false and entirely meritless,” adding that the company intends to challenge them during the response phase.
If the EU is not satisfied with TikTok’s response, it could impose a fine of up to 6% of the company’s global annual turnover, potentially amounting to billions of euros, unless the platform changes its service design in Europe.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said the Digital Services Act holds platforms accountable for their impact on users, and suggested measures such as screen time breaks, algorithm changes, and disabling infinite scroll to better protect citizens, especially children.
Experts have welcomed the move, with academics and social media analysts calling it a major regulatory shift that focuses not just on harmful content but on harmful platform design, which they say prioritises profit over user wellbeing, an unsurprising conclusion given the nature of the beast.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER: If you would like to support our independent journalism at Good Morning World, please subscribe to our daily newsletter. It’s FREE and appears 7 mornings a week. As we prepare to install a fully-automated sign-up, in the meantime please send an email with the word SUBSCRIBE to ianrbrodie@gmail.com