The European Union has raised serious objections to the content recommendation algorithm of the social media platform TikTok. The Commission’s preliminary investigation says TikTok’s “For You” feed can trap users in a particular kind of content by showing them similar material again and again. That risks harming the mental health of users, especially children, teenagers and young people.
The European Commission’s preliminary findings show that when users watch a video for longer or react to it, the algorithm recommends more of the same kind. So if someone starts watching videos about weight loss, body shape, depression or mental health, they may be shown similar content continuously, and can end up stuck in a cycle of harmful content.
The Commission says TikTok has not taken effective enough measures against these risks. Even when users choose the “Not interested” option, the flow of content does not change enough to match their wishes. In the Commission’s view, TikTok needs to give priority to users’ real preferences, rely less on watch time as the main yardstick for recommendations and make controls easier to use.
The European Commission has recommended changes to TikTok’s algorithm, but this is not yet a final decision. TikTok has been given the chance to review the investigation file and respond in writing.
If the charges are finally proven, TikTok’s parent company ByteDance could be fined up to 6 percent of its global annual revenue under the EU’s Digital Services Act. TikTok has rejected the Commission’s preliminary findings as wrong and baseless.
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