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EU Issues Preliminary Finding Against TikTok Over Addictive Design

Regulators proposed remedies targeting infinite scroll, autoplay, algorithmic recommendations.

Overview

  • The European Commission’s preliminary assessment under the Digital Services Act says TikTok failed to properly assess and mitigate addiction risks linked to core design features.
  • Officials highlighted endless scrolling, autoplay, and personalized recommendations as patterns that stimulate repeated use, with particular concern for children and vulnerable users.
  • Current screen‑time and parental controls were deemed easy to dismiss and ineffective at limiting prolonged, repetitive use.
  • Suggested changes include gradually disabling infinite scroll, introducing night‑time screen‑time breaks, and adjusting how the recommender system functions.
  • TikTok says it will challenge the findings, and after a review and consultation with the European Board for Digital Services, a confirmed non‑compliance decision could carry fines of up to 6% of global turnover.