Europe is tightening the screws on TikTok, arguing that its engagement-first design has become a limitless risk. The platform rejects the European Union’s allegations, as the case heads toward fines and deeper review.
The European Commission says TikTok is breaching the Digital Services Act by rolling out “addictive features” that push people into nonstop video watching. The focus is the familiar combo – infinite scroll, autoplay, notifications, and the algorithm – all engineered to make users crave “just one more video.”
Brussels argues TikTok did not properly evaluate the impact of these mechanisms and failed to examine how they could affect mental and physical well-being, especially for minors and other vulnerable users. That is why the Commission likens the experience to a “brain autopilot,” a reward loop that keeps serving fresh clips and reinforces the impulse to keep swiping.
The company is also accused of overlooking red flags of compulsive use, such as kids staying up at night on the app or how often it gets opened throughout the day. If the breach is confirmed, penalties could climb to 6% of ByteDance’s worldwide revenue, the maximum level allowed under EU sanction rules.
What is Europe asking for?
Against this backdrop, the European Union is calling for specific changes, including limiting or disabling infinite scroll, building in real pauses, and restricting nighttime use. It also takes aim at the platform’s “brain,” TikTok’s widely known algorithm. EU research indicates the algorithm would need to be adjusted to reduce risks while also dialing back the platform’s retention-heavy approach. After the controversy erupted, TikTok denied the allegations, saying the Commission’s depiction is not only “false” but also “unfounded,” and signaled it will fight the case. Europe, meanwhile, having already moved against other major tech firms, will demand whatever data it considers necessary to investigate the matter.
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