EU Calls TikTok Addictive, Demands Reforms

The European Union has accused TikTok of designing its platform in a way that encourages addiction, especially among young users. EU officials say the popular video-sharing app is not doing enough to protect minors from spending too much time online. As a result, regulators are demanding changes to how the platform works in Europe.

The European Commission recently shared early findings from an investigation into TikTok. This investigation began in February 2024 under the Digital Services Act, a major EU law that sets rules for online platforms. According to the Commission, certain features on TikTok promote compulsive use.

These include infinite scroll, which allows users to keep watching videos without reaching a natural stopping point, and autoplay, where videos continue playing automatically. The app also uses push notifications to draw users back and a powerful recommendation algorithm that learns what users like and keeps feeding them similar content.

EU officials argue that these features can be especially harmful to children and teenagers. They say the design encourages young users to stay on the app for long periods of time, which may affect their mental health and wellbeing. During the investigation, regulators gathered statistics that they described as alarming. TikTok was found to be the most-used social media platform after midnight among users aged 13 to 18. In addition, 7 percent of children between 12 and 15 years old reportedly spend four to five hours a day on the app.

Because of these concerns, the EU is calling on TikTok to change how its service is designed in Europe. Officials say the measures currently in place are not enough to protect minors. If TikTok fails to comply with the rules, it could face a fine of up to 6 percent of the global turnover of its parent company, ByteDance. Such a penalty could amount to billions of dollars.

TikTok has strongly rejected the EU’s findings. The company says the Commission’s conclusions are false and without merit. It has promised to challenge the decision and defend its platform. TikTok argues that it already has safeguards in place and disagrees with the claim that its design is harmful.

This dispute highlights a growing tension between governments and major technology companies. Across Europe, leaders are pushing for stricter controls on powerful digital platforms, often with the goal of protecting young users. TikTok’s highly advanced algorithm, which quickly understands users’ interests and keeps them engaged, has become both its greatest strength and its biggest source of criticism.

As the case moves forward, the outcome could shape how social media platforms operate in Europe and possibly around the world. The debate raises important questions about how far companies should go in keeping users engaged, and what responsibility they have to protect young people online.

The calls by the EU asking TikTok to tweak its design could be of concern to other platforms, such as Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ: RUM), since they too could be targeted at some point.

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