The European Commission ordered TikTok to redesign its "addictive" platform on February 6, marking the first time EU regulators have targeted overall social media design under the Digital Services Act.
TikTok faces potential fines up to 6% of its global revenue if it fails to comply with the preliminary findings. The Chinese-owned platform must address features including infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendation algorithms that regulators say harm user wellbeing.
EU technology commissioner Henna Virkkunen told reporters the features are especially harmful for minors, who are more susceptible to compulsive behavior.
"The Commission's investigation found TikTok failed to adequately assess risks to users' physical and mental health."
TikTok, which boasts over 200 million European users, rejected the findings as "categorically false and entirely meritless." The company now has an opportunity to defend itself before final penalties are imposed.
The Digital Services Act requires platforms with over 45 million EU users to mitigate systemic risks including addictive design. The Commission's order targets TikTok's core engagement mechanics that push users into "autopilot mode" according to regulatory findings.
Proposed changes include disabling infinite scroll, implementing mandatory screen time breaks, and adapting recommendation systems. The Commission also criticized existing parental controls and time-management features as insufficient.
If confirmed, fines could reach billions based on TikTok's estimated $23.6 billion 2024 revenue. The platform's global user base exceeds 1 billion, with European operations representing a significant market.
This regulatory action follows Australia's social media ban for users under 16 and growing pressure on platforms worldwide. Countries including France, Germany and Spain are considering similar restrictions for teenagers.
TikTok's investigation began in February 2024, examining whether the platform meets obligations as a very large online platform under the DSA. The probe analyzed internal risk assessments, company data, and scientific research on behavioral addiction.
The Commission noted TikTok disregarded indicators of compulsive use, including nighttime usage by children and frequent app openings. Existing safeguards like screen time warnings were deemed ineffective because they're easily dismissed.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International welcomed the Commission's direction, framing addictive design as a rights and wellbeing issue. Consumer organization BEUC argued real compliance may require altering TikTok's core design.
Other social media platforms will monitor the case closely, as similar features exist across Instagram, YouTube, and other services. The outcome could establish broader EU standards for engagement mechanics and child safety online.
TikTok faces separate EU probes for alleged election interference in Romania and data protection violations. The Irish Data Protection Commission fined TikTok €530 million in May 2025 for GDPR violations related to data transfers to China.
The platform's parent company ByteDance has invested €12 billion in "Project Clover" to separate European user data through EU-based data centers. This includes a €1 billion facility in Finland announced in May 2025.
TikTok must now submit a formal defense to the Commission's preliminary findings, which were issued on February 6, or face potential fines of up to 6% of its global revenue.
