Brussels, 6 February 2026, 18:15 CET
- EU regulators have leveled preliminary charges, alleging TikTok’s design could violate the bloc’s Digital Services Act
- The Commission identified infinite scroll, autoplay, push alerts, and personalised recommendations as key factors fueling compulsive use
- TikTok denied the allegations and announced plans to contest the findings
On Friday, EU regulators accused TikTok of violating the bloc’s Digital Services Act, claiming the app’s design encourages addictive behavior and poses risks to children. The Commission warned ByteDance’s platform to overhaul key features or face fines reaching up to 6% of ByteDance’s worldwide revenue. 1
This case puts Brussels’ resolve under the DSA—the EU’s broad online regulation—squarely in the spotlight, challenging limits on enforcing changes beyond content moderation to the very design of products. Regulators are treating “addictive design” as a compliance matter, focusing on minors and vulnerable groups at the heart of their concerns. 2
This comes as European governments consider stricter age restrictions on social media, with courts abroad hearing cases about youth addiction. Thomas Regnier, a Commission spokesman, criticized TikTok’s design, saying it “lead[s] to the compulsive use of the app” and called the platform’s current safeguards “simply not enough.” 3
The Commission’s initial findings focus on features like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and the highly personalised recommender system — the algorithm that determines the next video. Regulators argue TikTok didn’t adequately evaluate how these elements might impact users’ physical and mental health, ignoring warning signs of compulsive behavior, such as the hours minors spend on the app late at night. 4
The Commission noted that TikTok’s existing screen-time controls are easy to bypass and don’t add much “friction” to curb usage. It also pointed out that parental controls might fall short since they demand extra effort and know-how to configure properly.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen insisted TikTok must “change the design” of its platform in Europe to better “protect our minors,” pressing for real changes over empty promises. She emphasized that setting age limits falls to each EU country but added that a unified approach would be beneficial.
TikTok fired back. A company spokesperson labeled the Commission’s preliminary findings “categorically false” and “meritless,” adding that the firm plans to contest them.
The company highlighted existing features like custom screen-time limits, sleep reminders, and teen account settings. These allow parents to set restrictions and encourage teens to log off at night, according to a TikTok statement cited by officials.
The case remains in its early phases. TikTok has the option to review the Commission’s file and provide a written reply before the EU regulator moves forward with a formal non-compliance ruling.
Brussels is expanding the scope of the DSA to cover major platforms, with design playing a growing role. In October, the Commission flagged preliminary breaches by Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, over transparency requirements—specifically access to public data for researchers. Violations in this area could lead to fines reaching 6% of global revenue. 5
Regulators and politicians are closely monitoring how social platforms verify users’ ages and prevent minors from accessing illegal products and harmful content. According to Reuters, the Commission has requested information from platforms like Snapchat and YouTube.
But the outcome isn’t set in stone. The Commission’s findings remain preliminary, and any final ruling could be contested. Pushing for a redesign risks dragging down engagement and ad revenue—particularly if restrictions hamper the recommender system that drives user retention. 6
