EuroWire, BRUSSELS: The European Commission said on February 6 it has preliminarily found TikTok in breach of the EU Digital Services Act over what it described as the platform’s “addictive design,” warning that core features including infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system must be brought into compliance.
The Commission said its investigation indicates TikTok did not adequately assess how these design features could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults. It said the app’s constant delivery of new content can fuel an urge to keep scrolling and push users into an “autopilot mode,” citing scientific research that links such design to compulsive behaviour and reduced self-control.
Regulators said TikTok’s risk assessment work also disregarded indicators that can signal compulsive use, including the amount of time minors spend on the app at night and how frequently users open the service. The Commission said those and other indicators should have been weighed in evaluating the risks created by engagement-driven features.
The European Commission also said TikTok appears to have failed to put in place reasonable, proportionate and effective measures to mitigate risks stemming from the app’s design. It pointed to screen time management tools and parental controls, saying they do not seem to effectively reduce risks because time management settings are easy to dismiss and introduce limited friction, while parental controls can require additional time and skills from parents.
Design changes and enforcement process
At this stage, the European Commission said TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service to address the identified risks. It cited examples including disabling key addictive features such as infinite scroll over time, implementing effective screen time breaks, including during the night, and adapting the platform’s recommender system.
The European Commission stressed that the findings are preliminary and do not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. It said TikTok can exercise its right of defence by examining documents in the Commission’s case file and replying in writing to the preliminary findings, while the European Board for Digital Services is consulted as part of the enforcement process.
If the European Commission’s views are ultimately confirmed, it may issue a non-compliance decision under the Digital Services Act. The Commission said such a decision can trigger a fine proportionate to the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the infringement, up to but not more than 6% of the provider’s total worldwide annual turnover.
Wider probe into youth protection and platform risks
The European Commission said the preliminary findings form part of formal proceedings launched on February 19, 2024, examining TikTok’s compliance with the Digital Services Act. Beyond addictive design, the case includes scrutiny of recommender system risks often described as a “rabbit hole effect,” the risk of minors having age-inappropriate experiences due to misrepresentation of age, and obligations to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors.
The Commission said the broader investigation also covered access to public data for researchers and advertising transparency. It said preliminary findings on researcher access were adopted in October 2025, and that the advertising transparency strand was closed in December 2025 through binding commitments. TikTok, in a statement issued through a spokesperson, rejected the Commission’s preliminary assessment as “categorically false” and “entirely meritless,” and said it would challenge the findings.