On Friday, the European Commission announced that TikTok faces a potential TikTok EU fine after preliminary findings showed the video platform breaches EU online safety rules by trapping users in harmful content loops through its recommendation system, according to The Next Web.
Key takeaways
- The European Commission published preliminary findings against TikTok on Friday under the Digital Services Act.
- Regulators claim the For You feed repeatedly recommends similar videos on sensitive subjects like weight loss.
- ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if the breach is confirmed.
- TikTok can respond to the preliminary findings before the Commission makes a final decision.
What does the TikTok EU fine mean for TikTok?
The European Commission states that TikTok keeps pushing similar videos based on what users have previously watched or liked. This mechanism functions even when the content involves sensitive subjects such as loneliness, body image, or weight loss. According to The Next Web, users can end up seeing more videos that might negatively affect their mental health.
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, noted that the recommendation system leads people down difficult rabbit holes. Regulators want the platform to rely less on watch time and redesign the For You feed so safety controls are easier to access.
Digital Services Act violations and ByteDance penalty risks
The European Commission found that TikTok failed to properly assess these risks or take sufficient steps to reduce them. While TikTok provides a button to mark videos as not interested, the Commission discovered these features do little to stop recommendations of similar harmful material.
The current investigation adds to existing regulatory problems in Europe. In February, the Commission stated that TikTok addictive design elements like endless scrolling violated the Digital Services Act, though TikTok rejected those findings and vowed to challenge them. Regulators are also investigating Meta platforms over similar child mental health concerns.
What happens next
The findings published by the Commission are preliminary rather than a final ruling. TikTok has the opportunity to respond to the claims before the Commission issues its final decision. If the breach is confirmed, parent company ByteDance could face a fine reaching up to 6% of its global annual turnover. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press.
Frequently asked questions
The European Commission preliminarily found that TikTok breaks EU online safety rules by repeatedly recommending similar videos on sensitive subjects, potentially trapping users in harmful content loops.
If the European Commission confirms the breach of the Digital Services Act, ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.
The Commission wants TikTok to redesign its For You feed to take preferences into greater account, rely less on watch time, and make safety controls easier to access.
The European Commission published its preliminary findings regarding TikTok on Friday following a long-running investigation under the Digital Services Act.
No, these are preliminary findings and TikTok will have the opportunity to respond before the European Commission makes its final decision.
Based on reporting by The Next Web. Read the original article
