Summary
- The Commission said its preliminary findings showed that TikTok’s “For You” feed repeatedly recommends similar videos based on users’ interactions, potentially exposing them to harmful material about sadness, isolation and body image.
- “Today’s preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users’ well-being, including those of minors,” she added.
- They follow preliminary findings issued by the Commission in February over what it described as TikTok’s addictive design, including features that could encourage compulsive use, as well as concerns about child protection and access to public data for independent researchers.
The European Commission on Friday accused TikTok of failing to adequately address risks posed by its recommendation algorithm, saying it could lead users down harmful content “rabbit holes”.
The Commission said its preliminary findings showed that TikTok’s “For You” feed repeatedly recommends similar videos based on users’ interactions, potentially exposing them to harmful material about sadness, isolation and body image.
TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance could face a fine of up to six percent of its global annual turnover if the company is ultimately found to have breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Commission said TikTok had failed to introduce proportionate, reasonable and effective measures to mitigate the risks. It called on the platform to redesign its recommendation system, give greater weight to users’ stated preferences and make its controls easier to access and use.
“Every time a user scrolls or likes a video on TikTok, the algorithm serves more of the same, leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from,” EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement.
“Today’s preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users’ well-being, including those of minors,” she added.
The findings were issued under the DSA, which requires major online platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks associated with their services, including risks to users’ safety and well-being.
They follow preliminary findings issued by the Commission in February over what it described as TikTok’s addictive design, including features that could encourage compulsive use, as well as concerns about child protection and access to public data for independent researchers.
The latest findings are not a final ruling. TikTok will have an opportunity to respond before the Commission decides whether to issue a non-compliance decision.
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