Eu Says Tiktok’s For You Feed Breaches Platform Rules
The European Commission says TikTok has not adequately addressed risks from its recommendation algorithm, while TikTok disputes the preliminary findings.
The European Commission has accused TikTok of breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act over the design of its For You feed. In preliminary findings reported by Engadget and The Verge, the Commission said the recommendation system can repeatedly steer users toward similar videos, creating “rabbit holes” that may harm their mental health. TikTok disputes the allegations.
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Why the Commission is concerned
The For You feed responds to how people interact with videos by showing them more content of a similar kind. The Commission said repeated exposure becomes a concern when the videos involve subjects such as sadness, isolation or body image, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults, according to Engadget.
Regulators said TikTok had not adequately assessed the risk that its recommendations could draw users into those patterns or done enough to reduce it. Although the platform offers controls, the Commission’s preliminary findings indicate they may not work well enough, The Verge reported. Engadget noted the Commission’s concern that tapping “not interested” on a video may not sufficiently change what appears in a user’s feed.
What the EU wants TikTok to change
The Commission says TikTok needs to redesign the For You experience. According to Engadget, its proposals include giving more weight to users’ stated preferences, no longer using viewing time as a recommendation signal, making feed controls easier to find and use, and testing the algorithm regularly.
These are preliminary findings, not a final decision. Engadget reported that if TikTok does not sufficiently address the Commission’s concerns and the EU confirms the findings, parent company ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6 percent of its annual global revenue.
TikTok rejected the Commission’s account. In a statement to Reuters cited by Engadget, the company said the claims misrepresent how its platform works and its approach to safety. It also said users have direct controls over the content they see.
Part of a wider examination of platform design
The findings are part of an EU investigation into TikTok that began in early 2024, according to Engadget. The outlet reported that the Commission had also raised concerns this year about the app’s “addictive design” and the privacy of minors’ accounts. The Verge said the new finding is notable because, according to Politico, it is the first time the Commission has cited a recommendation algorithm as the reason for a breach.
TikTok also faces scrutiny in the United States. The Verge reported that lawmakers and lawsuits have raised child-safety concerns, while Engadget reported that TikTok, Google and Meta sued California this week over a law restricting access to potentially addictive features for users under 16.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.