The European Commission accused TikTok on Friday of purposefully designing its app to be addictive. It specifically called out features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and the platform’s recommendation engine.
These preliminary findings come from an investigation into TikTok’s compliance with the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The Commission stated that the short video platform did not adequately assess how its design decisions could harm user well-being, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults.
The EU’s executive arm said the company disregarded important indicators of compulsive app use, such as how much time users spend on the app at night and how frequently they open it. The Commission explained that by constantly rewarding users with new content, certain design features fuel the urge to keep scrolling and shift users’ brains into an autopilot mode. Scientific research shows this may lead to compulsive behavior and reduce self-control.
As a result, the Commission said TikTok must change the basic design of its user interface. Required changes include disabling features like infinite scroll, implementing effective screen time breaks, and altering its recommendation system.
TikTok has denied the allegations. A company spokesperson stated that the Commission’s preliminary findings present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of their platform. TikTok said it will take whatever steps are necessary to challenge these findings through every means available.
While TikTok does offer screen-time management tools and parental controls, the European Commission argued these are insufficient. The Commission said the time management tools are not effective because they are easy to dismiss and introduce limited friction. Similarly, parental controls may not work because they require additional time and skills from parents to implement.
These allegations arrive as social media platforms face heightened scrutiny worldwide. Some governments are pushing to ban young users from accessing social media altogether. For example, Australia recently mandated that social media sites deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16. The United Kingdom and Spain are reportedly looking into similar measures. Countries like France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway have also worked on age-restriction measures for social platforms. In the United States, 24 states have so far enacted age-verification laws.
TikTok recently settled a major social media addiction lawsuit in the United States. The company now has time to formally reply to the European Commission’s preliminary findings. Confirmed breaches of the Digital Services Act can lead to major sanctions, including fines of up to six percent of a company’s global annual turnover.