Is TikTok Finally Being Forced to Break Its Addictive Design in Europe?
European regulators are turning up the heat on TikTok, warning that some of the app’s most defining features may violate EU law and could soon be forced to change. In a preliminary finding announced today, the European Commission said TikTok’s design choices—particularly infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and its personalized recommendation algorithm—likely breach the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
At the heart of the decision is a growing concern that TikTok’s product design fuels compulsive behavior, especially among children and teenagers. According to the Commission, TikTok failed to properly assess how these features could harm users’ well-being and did not take sufficient steps to mitigate known risks. Regulators pointed specifically to evidence that minors spend excessive amounts of time on the app late at night, a warning sign they say TikTok did not adequately address.
In unusually blunt language, the Commission argued that TikTok’s features encourage users to keep scrolling while their brains slip into what it described as an “autopilot mode.” That loss of self-control, regulators warned, could contribute to addictive behavior and long-term harm, particularly for developing minds.
“Social media addiction can have detrimental effects on the developing minds of children and teens,” said Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president of tech sovereignty, security, and democracy. “The Digital Services Act makes platforms responsible for the effects they can have on their users. In Europe, we enforce our legislation to protect our children and our citizens online.”
The finding is not yet final. TikTok will now have an opportunity to respond to the allegations and defend its practices. However, if the Commission ultimately confirms that TikTok violated the DSA, the consequences could be severe. Under the law, companies can be fined up to 6% of their global annual revenue, a potentially massive penalty for one of the world’s largest social media platforms.
TikTok has already pushed back forcefully. In a statement, a company spokesperson called the Commission’s assessment “categorically false and entirely meritless,” adding that TikTok plans to challenge the findings “through every means available.”
The investigation stems from a probe launched in 2024 that focused on what regulators call the “rabbit hole effect” of TikTok’s algorithm—how the app quickly funnels users into endless streams of highly personalized content. The probe also examined whether TikTok was doing enough to protect minors, a key requirement under the DSA, which came into effect in 2023.
The Digital Services Act represents one of the most ambitious attempts anywhere in the world to regulate large online platforms. It requires companies like TikTok to proactively assess and mitigate systemic risks, including those related to mental health, addiction, and child safety. In TikTok’s case, the Commission believes compliance could require concrete design changes, such as disabling or limiting infinite scroll, introducing mandatory screen-time breaks, or altering how recommendations are generated.
The timing of the decision reflects a broader global shift. Governments are increasingly questioning whether social media companies have gone too far in optimizing for engagement at the expense of user well-being. Earlier this year, Australia became the first country to ban social media accounts for children under 16, and countries like Spain, Denmark, and Malaysia have said they are considering similar measures.
In the United States, pressure is also mounting. TikTok, alongside companies like Meta, Snap, and YouTube, faces a growing wave of lawsuits accusing them of deliberately designing addictive products that harm young users. TikTok settled one such case in California last month, underscoring the legal risks the industry now faces.
TikTok’s regulatory challenges extend beyond Europe and child safety concerns. Its U.S. operations underwent a major ownership restructuring earlier this year, forming a new joint venture that includes Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi–based MGX. That move followed a September executive order from President Donald Trump, which allowed TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. under new leadership.
Under the new structure, the joint venture has greater control over TikTok’s recommendation algorithm—an issue U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly framed as a national security concern, though they have offered few public details to support those claims.
For TikTok, the European Commission’s preliminary finding may prove to be a pivotal moment. If regulators force changes to features like infinite scroll and autoplay, it could fundamentally reshape how the app works—not just in Europe, but potentially worldwide. And if Europe succeeds in reining in TikTok’s most addictive elements, it may set a precedent other regulators are eager to follow.
