EU Cites TikTok For Violating Digital Services Act Over Algorithm Design

The European Commission on Friday accused TikTok of breaking the European Union's Digital Services Act, saying the video app's core recommendation system steers users into harmful content and fails to give them real power to opt out.^[1]

In preliminary findings issued November 6, regulators said TikTok's "For You" feed relies too heavily on how long people watch videos, which they argue traps users in so-called rabbit holes and exposes especially young people to addictive or damaging material.^[1] The Commission said it wants the platform to reduce its dependence on viewing time as a ranking signal and to strengthen tools that let users set and enforce their own content and recommendation preferences. TikTok called the accusations "fundamentally inaccurate," and will be allowed to submit a formal defense before Brussels decides whether to confirm the violations and impose penalties that could reach up to 6% of the company's global annual revenue.^[1]

European Union officials put the Digital Services Act, or DSA, into force for the largest online platforms in 2023, promising tougher oversight of algorithms that shape what hundreds of millions of people see online. The law requires big platforms to assess and limit "systemic risks," including the spread of harmful content and the impact of recommendation systems on users' mental health, as well as to give people meaningful ways to turn off highly personalized feeds. The Commission's move against TikTok builds on earlier DSA probes into how the company handles minors, advertising transparency and access to data for independent researchers, but Friday's findings mark one of the clearest direct challenges so far to the design of a major platform's core algorithm rather than to individual pieces of content.^[1]

Under the DSA process, the preliminary decision is not the final word: TikTok can present evidence, suggest remedies or contest the Commission's analysis before any binding ruling, fines or design mandates take effect. If regulators ultimately conclude the company is in breach, they can order specific changes to the ranking signals that power the "For You" feed and to the visibility and effectiveness of opt-out switches, potentially forcing a redesign of how TikTok works for users in the 27-nation bloc.^[1] The case is being watched across the tech industry because it may set a precedent for how aggressively European authorities can intervene in the recommendation engines that underpin other large platforms.

1. PBS News