European Commission advises TikTok to redesign FYP or risk fines
Preliminary findings from the European Commission accuse TikTok of failing to mitigate risks of its personalized recommendation algorithm, violating Digital Services Act.
The European Commission has warned TikTok that its popular "For You Page" (FYP) algorithm might be in violation of EU law, potentially leading to fines. The Commission's preliminary findings suggest that the platform's personalized algorithmic feed could be posing mental health risks to users, especially minors and vulnerable adults.
The Commission's concern lies in the consistent stream of tailored videos and the way TikTok's algorithm determines user interest. By continuously showing content that users repeatedly interact with, TikTok's design creates a "rabbit hole effect," where users are drawn further into an endless cycle of triggering content. This can be particularly harmful when the content revolves around themes like sadness, isolation, or body image.
The regulators urge TikTok to modify its FYP by relying more on users' explicit preferences, disabling viewing time as a content recommendation indicator, enhancing user control accessibility, and regularly testing the algorithm. If TikTok does not comply with the Commission's final report and recommendations, it could face fines up to 6 percent of its global revenue.
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