On Friday, the European Commission leveled serious allegations against TikTok, claiming the app is intentionally designed to be “addictive.” This includes features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and its recommendation system.
In initial findings from an inquiry assessing TikTok’s compliance with the European Union’s stringent Digital Services Act, the Commission highlighted that the platform failed to “adequately assess” how its design choices could negatively impact user welfare, particularly for minors and vulnerable groups.
The EU’s regulatory authority pointed out that TikTok overlooked “key indicators of compulsive app use,” such as nighttime usage patterns and the frequency of app accesses.
“By continuously ‘rewarding’ users with new content, specific design elements of TikTok encourage incessant scrolling, pushing users into an ‘autopilot mode.’ Scientific evidence indicates that this could incite compulsive behaviors and diminish self-control,” the Commission stated.
The Commission has called for TikTok to alter the “basic design” of its user interface by disabling features such as infinite scrolling, introducing screen time intervals, and modifying its recommendation algorithms.
TikTok has refuted these claims.
“The Commission’s preliminary findings offer a fundamentally inaccurate and entirely unjust representation of our platform. We will take all necessary steps to contest these conclusions through every available avenue,” a spokesperson for TikTok stated in an email.
|
June 23, 2026
While TikTok does provide screen-time management tools and parental controls, the European Commission asserted that these measures fall short in mitigating the risks associated with its addictive design. “The time management options seem ineffective for users to control their engagement with TikTok, as they are easily bypassed and introduce minimal resistance. Similarly, parental controls may lack efficacy as they require additional time and expertise from parents to implement,” the Commission noted.
These allegations against TikTok emerge amid increasing global scrutiny of social media platforms, with some governments advocating for outright bans on youth access. For instance, Australia required social media companies to deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16, and the U.K. and Spain are reportedly considering similar actions. Countries like France, Denmark, Italy, and Norway have also been exploring age-restriction regulations, while 24 states in the U.S. have enacted age-verification laws.
TikTok recently settled a significant lawsuit concerning social media addiction in the U.S. and now has time to respond to the European Commission’s preliminary findings. Confirmed violations of the DSA could lead to severe penalties, including fines reaching up to 6% of global annual revenue.
This story has been updated to include TikTok’s response.
### Hustle Verdict
Our take is that these developments mark a pivotal moment for social media regulation. As platforms like TikTok face increased scrutiny, we believe that the outcome could set new standards for ethical design and user protection, particularly concerning minors. The bottom line is that this situation underscores an ongoing shift in how technology companies must prioritize user welfare over engagement metrics.
