TikTok has been charged by European Union (EU) tech regulators with breaching the bloc's online content rules over the platform's alleged “rabbit hole” effect, which draws users into a continuous stream of similar videos, Reuters reported on Friday.
The Chinese-owned social media platform risks a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover next year if it fails to address the concerns.
The European Commission, which oversees digital regulation in the EU, said it had issued charges against TikTok after the company failed to put in place proportionate, reasonable and effective measures to mitigate the risks associated with its platform design.
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The Commission warned that endless and repeated exposure to content related to sadness, isolation and body image could have a detrimental impact on users' mental health.
“Every time a user scrolls or likes a video on TikTok, the algorithm serves more of the same, leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement, according to Reuters.
“Today's preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users' well-being, including those of minors,” she added.
The Commission said TikTok needs to redesign its 'For You' feed algorithm, place greater emphasis on users' explicit preferences, make user controls more accessible and easier to use, and regularly test its recommendation system, among other changes.
The latest findings mark an escalation of a broader investigation launched in February 2024 under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires social media platforms and search engines to address illegal and harmful content, said a Bloomberg report.
Earlier this year, the European Commission had concluded that TikTok's design violated the DSA. The latest findings, however, focus on the content recommended by its algorithm based on users' interests, rather than merely on design features that encourage users to keep scrolling.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment, said a Bloomberg report.
