EU Preliminarily Finds TikTok's 'Rabbit Hole' Feed in Breach of the Digital Services Act: Change the Design or Face a Fine of Up to 6% of Global Turnover
Brussels — The European Commission issued preliminary findings on November 6 concluding that the design of TikTok's 'For You' feed breaches the European Union's Digital Services Act: the so-called 'rabbit hole effect' of its recommender system can harm users' mental health, especially that of minors and vulnerable adults. If TikTok does not change the design and the findings are confirmed, it could face a fine of up to 6 percent of its total worldwide annual turnover.
The Commission said the algorithm interprets every scroll and like as a signal to serve more of the same, leading users step by step into continuous streams of similar content — including videos about sadness, isolation and body image — that can increase anxiety, lower self-esteem and worsen existing eating disorders and mental-health problems. It found that TikTok had not adequately assessed those risks or put proportionate, reasonable and effective mitigation measures in place.
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said the preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users' well-being, including those of minors. TikTok replied that the Commission's findings are 'fundamentally inaccurate and distort our platform's architecture and our commitment to user safety.'
TikTok may now examine the Commission's investigation file and reply in writing. If the Commission confirms its views, it will adopt a non-compliance decision that can carry the fine. The case is part of a broader investigation into TikTok opened in February 2024, in which the Commission has already issued preliminary findings on 'addictive design' features and on the privacy of minors' accounts. (Source: European Commission)
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Source: European Commission
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于布鲁塞尔的欧盟委员会总部贝尔莱蒙大楼。照片 CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Berlaymont building, headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
