EU Says TikTok's For You Algorithm May Breach the DSA

The European Commission has accused TikTok of breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA). At the center of the charge is the recommendation system behind the platform's For You page and its possible harmful effects on users' mental health. The findings are preliminary, meaning the process has not yet concluded.

According to the Commission, the algorithm's personalized design shows users more and more similar videos the more they engage with a given type of content. The regulator argues that this design can be harmful, particularly for content touching on sadness, loneliness or body image, when exposure becomes endless and repetitive.

What the Commission's preliminary findings say

The Commission described such loops as "rabbit holes" and said they can negatively affect the mental health of users, above all vulnerable adults and minors.

According to the preliminary findings, TikTok did not adequately assess how its algorithm could endanger users' wellbeing by drawing them into these loops. The Commission also alleged that the platform has not taken sufficient measures to mitigate those risks. It further noted that tapping a "not interested" button on a video may not be enough to change what appears in a user's feed.

Changes the Commission wants from TikTok

The Commission said TikTok needs to change the design of its For You page. The steps it is calling for include relying more on preferences users state explicitly, no longer using watch time as a signal for recommending content, making user controls easier to find and use, and testing the algorithm regularly.

If TikTok fails to resolve the problem to the Commission's satisfaction and the EU confirms its findings, the company's parent, ByteDance, could face a fine of up to six percent of its global annual revenue.

TikTok pushes back as the investigation continues

TikTok rejected the accusations. In a statement, the company said the Commission's claims rely on fundamentally inaccurate language and mischaracterize how the platform is built. TikTok said it has a strong track record of protecting its community and gives users direct, intuitive control over their content experience.

The preliminary findings are part of a broader investigation the EU opened into TikTok in early 2024. In February, the bloc announced that the app's "addictive design" breached the DSA. In July, officials alleged that the platform failed to protect the account privacy of underage users.

Regulators around the world have scrutinized social media companies more closely in recent years, especially over the effects on children. This week, Google, Meta and TikTok sued California over a law that bars users under 16 from accessing potentially "addictive features." The developments show that pressure on social media platforms' design choices continues on both sides of the Atlantic.