The European Union is taking steps to tackle the addictive nature of social media applications, focusing particularly on TikTok. The initiative could set new design standards that would not only affect TikTok but also other major social media platforms, potentially altering how users interact with these applications. The European Commission has called for TikTok to change several key features including the removal of endless scrolling, mandatory screen time breaks, and changes to recommendation algorithms.

This demand stems from the Commission's findings that TikTok's design fosters addiction among users, especially children. By addressing these concerns, the EU aims to protect users from the harmful effects of excessive social media use. As Katarzyna Szymielewicz, president of Poland’s Panoptykon Foundation, highlights, the Commission's push for changes to TikTok's core design represents a significant shift for advertising and surveillance-based business models prevalent in the industry.

The implications of such regulatory measures could ripple across the tech industry, prompting a reevaluation of how social media platforms engage users. If successful, these changes might influence not only the user experience on TikTok but also set a precedent for global tech regulations concerning user engagement and addiction, prompting other platforms to reconsider their features in light of user welfare.