The European Commission is urging TikTok to modify its interface to mitigate user addiction, particularly among minors, following a two-year investigation.
The European Commission has called on TikTok to alter its user interface, citing concerns that it fosters addiction among users of all ages, especially minors. This demand follows a comprehensive two-year investigation which revealed that the platform does not adequately consider the negative consequences of its features, potentially exacerbating addiction to social media. The investigation highlights that TikTok's design elements, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and instant notifications, create a user experience that can trap users within the platform.
The report indicates that TikTok has violated digital services laws due to its design, which encourages excessive use and addiction without appropriate restrictions or warnings for users about their time spent on the platform. The investigation underscores the need for the platform to introspect and implement meaningful changes to protect its audience from the addictive nature of its application.
Additionally, a report from "The Guardian" notes that TikTok rewards addictive behaviors by providing users with more content similar to what they prefer, without imposing any limits on their session durations or offering necessary alerts. This model raises serious concerns regarding the impact of social media on users, particularly vulnerable populations like children and adolescents, leading to calls for regulatory reforms to ensure a safer online environment.
