The European Commission said TikTok’s design — which includes features regulators describe as addictive — may violate the European Union’s Digital Services Act and provide insufficient protection for users. The assessment reflects preliminary findings from an investigation published Feb. 6.
Infinite scrolling
Regulators said features such as infinite scrolling effectively pull users deeper into the app. New content loads automatically, encouraging people to spend increasing amounts of time on TikTok, often without realizing it.
The commission believes this design can promote compulsive behavior and place users’ attention on «autopilot.»
Risks for teens
Officials placed particular focus on children and adolescents. Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said social media addiction can negatively affect developing minds and emphasized that platforms are legally required to assess risks to users and implement protective measures.
Regulators consider TikTok’s current safety tools insufficient.
Recommended design changes
Brussels said TikTok may need to modify core design elements. Potential measures include limiting or disabling infinite scrolling, introducing more visible break reminders, and adjusting video recommendation systems.
TikTok’s position
TikTok disputed the findings, calling them a «categorically false depiction» of the platform and pledging to challenge the conclusions.
The company said there is no universal approach to managing screen time and noted that users already have access to self-regulation tools, including sleep reminders and reward-based features that encourage adherence to limits.
