EU accuses TikTok of designing app to be addictive

On Friday, the European Commission formally accused TikTok of purposefully designing its app to be “addictive.” In its preliminary findings, the regulator stated that the short video platform did not adequately assess how its design decisions could harm the well-being of its users. The Commission specifically pointed to features such as infinite scroll and recommendation engines, alleging that TikTok disregarded important indicators of compulsive use of the app. According to the regulator, these design choices fuel the urge to keep scrolling, which may lead to “compulsive behaviour” and reduce users’ self-control. The Commission indicated that TikTok must change the basic design of its user interface, suggesting modifications to features like infinite scroll and its recommendation system.

The investigation represents a major step in enforcing the Digital Services Act, which is the EU regulation regarding online safety and platform responsibility. If the European Commission confirms that TikTok breached the regulation, the company could face major sanctions. Confirmed breaches of the Digital Services Act can face fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover, making this one of the most significant regulatory threats the platform faces globally. The preliminary findings mark the beginning of a process where TikTok will have the opportunity to defend its design choices before any final decision is made.

TikTok has strongly denied the allegations made by the Commission. A TikTok spokesperson stated: “The Commission’s preliminary findings present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to challenge these findings through every means available to us.” The company now has time to formally reply to the European Commission’s preliminary findings before any final penalties are determined.

The regulatory clash in the European Union occurs amid a broader wave of global scrutiny targeting social media platforms. In November, Australia mandated social media sites to deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16. Other governments are reportedly looking into or working on similar age-restriction measures, including the U.K., Spain, France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway. Meanwhile, in the United States, 24 states have already enacted age-verification laws to restrict access for younger users.

Why it matters

This investigation represents a major test of the EU’s Digital Services Act, signaling that regulators are increasingly targeting the fundamental design choices of social platforms rather than just content moderation.