On February 6, 2026, the European Union officially launched an investigation into the video platform TikTok, accusing it of violating key requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA) – mainly because of so-called "addictive design" features that can drive users, especially young audiences, into hours of scrolling behavior.

In essence, the EU Commission accuses TikTok of using features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalized recommendation algorithm to create a user experience that is more focused on maximum consumption than on protecting the health and well-being of users – especially children and adolescents. 

The investigation, which ran for several years, is the basis for the preliminary allegations, according to the EU authority. TikTok is said to have not sufficiently examined how these designated mechanisms could cause physical and psychological damage and how this affects usage patterns, such as nocturnal activity of minors. 

According to the EU Commission, TikTok's dynamics create a kind of reward loop that rewards "scrolling on" and thus promotes impulsive behavior that puts users in a kind of "autopilot mode". This is not only a matter of wasting time, but can also affect attention spans and emotional well-being in the long term. 

A particularly critical point is that TikTok's previous self-regulation measures – such as screen time limits or parental control tools – are not sufficiently effective, according to the Commission. These could easily be circumvented or ignored and would not put any real "brakes" on user behavior. 

TikTok itself describes the allegations as "categorically false and unfounded" and announced that it would take action against the allegations. The company emphasizes that it offers numerous tools for self-regulation, including daily time limits, sleep reminders and age-adapted features. 

If TikTok does not comply with the EU's demands, the company faces a penalty of up to 6% of global annual sales under the Digital Services Act. With a global turnover of several billion euros, this would be potentially high sums. In addition, the EU could oblige the platform to change central parts of its design or to switch off certain mechanics completely. 

The case against TikTok is not alone. The EU has been tightening its grip on big tech platforms for years to curb risks such as disinformation, algorithmic manipulation and abusive design practices. The Digital Services Act is considered one of the strictest regulations in the world that holds online platforms accountable. 

In parallel to this development, other countries are examining similar measures. In Australia, for example, social networks have been blocked for under-16s, and initiatives are also underway in countries such as Spain, France and the UK to regulate social media use more strictly for young people. 

For users themselves, the EU initiative could lead to a platform that is less designed for uncontrollable use in the long term. Conceivable would be forced breaks, stricter age verifications or technical limitations of functions that are currently considered particularly "addictive". Whether and when these measures will take effect depends on the further development of the legal process.

👉 The EU is cracking down: TikTok is supposed to deliberately "make users addicted".
 Infinite scroll, autoplay, push stimuli – now billions in fines are looming.
 What is really behind the accusations? Write to us on Facebook or WhatsApp: +35799945749



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Author: MF editorial team
Source: REUTERS