European Union regulators say TikTok may be in violation of the Digital Services Act due to the risk it poses for addictive and compulsive behavior. File Photo/EPA
European Union regulators said Friday that TikTok may be in violation of the Digital Services Act due to the risk it poses for addictive and compulsive behavior.
The European Commission said in a preliminary ruling that TikTok features like infinite scroll, auto-play and the algorithm are part of an “addictive design.”
“TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service,” the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, said in a statement.
The app has more than 1 billion users worldwide, including 200 million across Europe. The commission argues that TikTok has ignored data that shows the app is being used compulsively. Users fall into a state of “autopilot” as the app rewards continuous use with new content.
The commission ruled the addictive nature of TikTok’s design poses risks to the mental health and physical well-being of children and vulnerable adults.
The preliminary ruling does not mean action will be required immediately. The commission said that it is not prejudging the outcome of its probe into the app.
TikTok refutes the claim and plans to challenge the ruling.
“The commission’s preliminary findings present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform,” TikTok said in a statement.
There have been lawsuits against TikTok in the United States over similar allegations. The company settled a lawsuit in California related to social media addiction last month.
The European Commission has begun cracking down on social media companies for violating the Digital Services Act, a regulation passed in 2024 meant to make the internet safer and internet companies operate more transparently.
Last year, X was the first platform to be fined under the Digital Services Act. It was fined about $140 million for violating transparency rules related to its blue checkmark offering to users who paid to have verified accounts and for blocking research into advertising on the app.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice Headquarters on Friday. Justice Department officials have announced that the FBI has arrested Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
