EC: TikTok's recommendation algorithm violates the EU DSA
The European Commission accuses the “For You” feed of creating a “rabbit hole” effect. These are preliminary findings, but the platform’s owner faces a fine of up to 6 percent of global turnover, and a redesign of this feed in the EU is on the table.
The European Commission announced on Friday, November 6, preliminary findings in proceedings against TikTok. According to the EC, the “For You” feed violates the Digital Services Act, or DSA - an EU regulation that requires very large platforms to mitigate systemic risks. The findings were published in a Commission statement, and the information was reported by, among others, PAP and Wirtualne Media.
The allegation concerns the “rabbit hole” effect. The algorithm serves an uninterrupted stream of personalized videos, including those about mental health, sadness, isolation or appearance. According to the EC, control tools, such as the “not interested” button, do not work effectively because the system prioritizes watch time over the user’s explicit wish.
Every swipe or like on TikTok causes the algorithm to serve more of the same, pulling users into rabbit holes they cannot easily get out of.
The EC expects a redesign of the algorithm, greater consideration of user preferences, more accessible and effective control tools, and regular testing of the recommendation system.
TikTok rejects the allegations. In a statement, the company wrote that the Commission’s claims are “fundamentally inaccurate” and misrepresent the platform’s architecture. Lisa Dittmer of Amnesty International called the findings a necessary step toward safer platforms.
This is not a final decision. TikTok may review the case files and respond in writing, and the EC will seek the opinion of the European Board for Digital Services. If the allegations are confirmed, ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, faces a fine of up to 6 percent of total annual global turnover. Some media outlets indicate that a ruling may come next year.
These are further objections from the EC against the platform: in February, the Commission challenged the app’s addictive design, and in July, the default account settings that expose minors’ content too broadly.
For brands and marketers building reach on TikTok, the case means a possible change to the rules of personalization for the “For You” feed in the EU. Its impact on the distribution of organic and paid content cannot be assessed today.