According to the EU assessment, this algorithm
The European Regulation imposes urgent changes to the recommendation mechanism of the ' To You ' section on TikTok, threatening the company with substantial penalties. This decision was taken by Brussels after infringements of the European Union Digital Services Act were found.
The EU authorities have highlighted the negative effect of the TikTok algorithm's 'crawl holes'. This system directs users to similar content, based on previous interactions (views or likes), even though these clips can be emotionally triggering.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, who oversees technological sovereignty, said in a statement that „every time a user scrolls or views a video on TikTok, the algorithm presents them with more of the same type, leading users into a spiral from which it is difficult to get out . He also stressed that ”Today's preliminary findings show once again that TikTok needs to step up efforts to protect the well-being of users, including minors .
According to the EU assessment, this algorithm exposes people in a continuous way to material relating to sadness, isolation or body image. Although TikTok has implemented some adjustments to mitigate the risks reported by the Commission, these improvements were not considered sufficient by the Union.
In February, the EU found that TikTok does not adequately assess how addictive features can affect the physical and mental health of users, including minors and vulnerable adults. However, while the February findings focused on elements such as the impact of notifications, Friday's order directly targeted the structure of the algorithm itself, according to a senior EU official contacted by the AFP news agency.
In addition, the European authorities noted
In July, the European bloc sued TikTok for exposing children to risks such as cyberbullying and exploitative behaviour. In the same month, Brussels also ordered Meta to modify content streams on Facebook and Instagram as part of an investigation into breaches of the Digital Services Act.
In addition, the European authorities noted that while TikTok rejected the EU's findings, claiming that they are fundamentally inaccurate and distort the platform's architecture and our commitment to user safety, the company claims to have a solid track record of protecting our community by giving users direct and intuitive control over their content experience, a representative of the tech giant said.
The regulators estimate that the sanctions imposed by Brussels on the Chinese-owned company could increase by up to 6 percent if the platform does not resolve the issue at hand. The company will have an opportunity to reply before the Commission issues its final decision.
The European context is one of youth protection; recently, countries such as France, Spain and the United Kingdom have focused on defending minors from predatory behaviour, online harassment, mental health deterioration and eating disorders on social platforms. Several nations have implemented social media bans on children under 15.
These actions fall into a broader global context, where U. S. legislation in Australia proposes a law that allows opt-outfor the algorithms of big tech companies. There have also been other relevant developments, such as the Australian Supreme Court case examining the application to cancel the social ban for under-16s, and a $100 million settlement that TikTok has to pay Alabama over teen addiction.