After the company had to be sold in the United States, TikTok is now facing the European Commission (EC) which is asking them to turn off features that allegedly cause users to be addicted to continuing to access the app. Features such as infinity scroll, auto-playing videos, persistent notifications and an algorithm that suggests the next content to watch.
In its initial findings under the Digital Markets Act (DSA), the EC said TikTok failed to assess the risks to the well-being of users, especially children and vulnerable groups. They were also accused of ignoring indicators of app addiction in users such as time spent at night and how often the app is opened.
Therefore, the EC asked TikTok to make changes to the interface such as turning off infinity scroll, changing video suggestions and implementing screen breaks. TikTok denies the EC's allegations and, describing them as unfounded and taking whatever steps are necessary to challenge the findings through all available means.
The EC's allegations against TikTok come as several EU countries, such as the UK, and France, have expressed their intention to ban the use of social media among individuals under the age of 16, following the steps taken by Australia last December.
