Brussels, Feb 6, 2026, 18:15 (CET)
- EU regulators issued preliminary charges saying TikTok’s design may breach the bloc’s Digital Services Act
- The Commission flagged infinite scroll, autoplay, push alerts and personalised recommendations as drivers of compulsive use
- TikTok rejected the claims and said it would challenge the findings
EU regulators on Friday charged TikTok with breaching the bloc’s Digital Services Act, arguing that the app’s design pushes users into compulsive use and can harm children. The Commission told the ByteDance-owned platform it must change core features or risk a fine of up to 6% of ByteDance’s global turnover. (Reuters)
The case is a direct test of how far Brussels will go under the DSA, the EU’s sweeping online rulebook, to force changes not just in content policing but in product design. Regulators are making “addictive design” a compliance issue, with minors and vulnerable users at the centre of the argument. (Digital Strategy)
It also lands as European governments weigh tougher age limits for social media and as youth-addiction claims move through courts elsewhere. Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said TikTok’s design features “lead to the compulsive use of the app,” adding that the platform’s existing safeguards were “simply not enough.” (AP News)
The Commission’s preliminary view targets features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system — the algorithmic tool that decides what video comes next. Regulators said TikTok failed to properly assess how those features could affect users’ physical and mental wellbeing, and overlooked signs of compulsive use, including the time minors spend on the app at night. (The Guardian)
In its assessment, the Commission said TikTok’s current screen-time management tools were easy to dismiss and created little “friction” to slow users down. It also said parental controls may not work well because they require extra time and skills to set up.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said TikTok now has to “change the design” of its service in Europe to “protect our minors,” calling for concrete changes rather than new promises. She said it was up to individual EU countries to set age limits, while noting a common approach would help.
TikTok pushed back hard. A company spokesperson called the Commission’s preliminary findings “categorically false” and “meritless,” and said the firm would take steps to challenge them.
The company also pointed to tools it says already exist, including custom screen-time limits, sleep reminders and settings for teen accounts that allow parents to impose limits and nudge teens to log off in the evenings, according to a TikTok statement cited by officials.
The case is still at a preliminary stage. TikTok can request access to the Commission’s file and submit a written response before the EU watchdog decides whether to issue a formal non-compliance decision.
Brussels has been widening its net under the DSA across the biggest platforms, and design is increasingly part of the story. In October, the Commission issued preliminary findings against Meta’s Facebook and Instagram and against TikTok on transparency obligations, including access to public data for researchers — another area that can trigger fines of up to 6% of global sales. (Reuters)
Regulators and politicians are also watching how social platforms verify users’ ages and how they keep minors from illegal products and harmful material. The Commission has sought information from platforms including Snapchat and YouTube, Reuters reported.
But the outcome here is not locked in. The Commission’s findings are not final, and any eventual decision could be challenged, while a forced redesign risks hitting engagement and ad revenue — especially if limits weaken the recommender system that helps keep users watching. (Bloomberg)
