TikTok could be forced to change app's addictive design' by European Commission

"The European Commission said TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users worldwide, had not adequately assessed how its design could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of users including children and vulnerable adults. By constantly rewarding users with new content, the Chinese-owned platform fuelled constant scrolling and shifted the brains of users into autopilot mode, the commission added, which could lead to compulsive behaviour and reduce users' self-control."

"At this stage, the commission considers that TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service, it said in a statement. For instance, by disabling key addictive features such as infinite scroll' over time, implementing effective screen time breaks', including during the night, and adapting its recommender system. The commission said TikTok's safety regime appeared to be inadequate, singling out the screentime management and parental control tools as not doing enough to mitigate the risks created by the app's addictive design."

The European Commission's preliminary ruling finds TikTok infringed the Digital Services Act by failing to assess how its design could harm physical and mental wellbeing, especially for children and vulnerable adults. The platform's constant reward of new content fuels continuous scrolling, shifting users into autopilot and potentially causing compulsive behaviour and reduced self-control. Regulators cited ignored indicators of compulsive use, such as nighttime screen time. The commission is considering forced changes to TikTok's core design, including disabling infinite scroll, enforcing effective screen-time breaks, and adapting its recommender algorithm, while noting current parental controls and screentime tools are inadequate. TikTok can challenge the findings.

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