The European Commission has reached a preliminary conclusion that the Chinese-owned platform TikTok has violated the requirements of the European Union's (EU) Digital Services Act (DSA), calling on the company to implement immediate changes or face substantial financial penalties.
The announcement was made in Brussels by EU official spokesperson Thomas Regnier. According to Regnier, preliminary investigation results indicate that TikTok failed to properly assess how the platform's addictive features could harm the physical and mental health of users, particularly minors and vulnerable adults.
Regnier noted that TikTok has approximately 170 million users in the EU, a significant portion of whom are children. Data from the European Commission reveals that 7% of teenagers aged 12-15 spend between four to five hours daily on the application. The Commission stated that TikTok has not taken effective measures to mitigate these risks. Failure to comply with the EU's requirements could result in the company being found in breach of legislation, potentially leading to fines of up to 6% of its annual global turnover.
The Digital Services Act, which came into full effect recently, is a landmark piece of EU legislation designed to create a safer digital space where the fundamental rights of users are protected. It establishes a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework for online platforms, holding tech giants accountable for content moderation, user privacy, and algorithmic transparency. For major platforms like TikTok, the DSA mandates rigorous risk assessments and proactive measures to prevent the exploitation of younger audiences through addictive design patterns.
