EU Accuses TikTok Over ‘Addictive’ App Features
In a statement Friday, the EC highlighted features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay, which it said keep users engaged for long periods, putting the brain into an “autopilot mode.” The Commission said TikTok failed to adequately evaluate the potential risks of these features on physical and mental health, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults.
Under the EU’s Digital Services Act, TikTok could be fined up to 6% of its global revenue for serious violations. The platform, owned by a Chinese company and boasting over a billion users worldwide, is expected to generate roughly $35 billion in revenue this year, according to industry estimates.
TikTok rejected the allegations, calling the EC’s claims “a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction” of the platform.
The company is also facing a separate investigation by the EC launched in December 2024 over alleged foreign interference in Romania’s presidential elections, after Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the first-round vote amid intelligence claims of election meddling via TikTok—claims the company denies.
A recent US House Judiciary Committee report described the EC’s actions as “the most aggressive censorship” in recent years and framed them as part of a broader, decade-long push to pressure social media platforms to regulate content in the name of preventing “hate speech” and “disinformation.”
The EU’s regulatory approach has drawn criticism from the US government, which has threatened tariffs in response. Last year, the EC fined Elon Musk’s X platform €120 million ($140 million) for issues related to its verification badge and ad policies. Musk described the EU as a “bureaucratic monster” that “should be abolished.”
Meanwhile, several countries, including France, Germany, the UK, and Australia, are moving to limit social media access for younger teens amid concerns over its effects.
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