EU Accuses TikTok's For You Algorithm of Violating DSA

The European Commission has accused TikTok of breaching the Digital Services Act by designing its For You recommendation algorithm in a way that can funnel users into repeated exposure to harmful content, potentially harming mental health.

European Commission findings and concerns

The Commission says TikTok's personalized recommendation system tends to show users increasingly similar videos the more they interact with a particular type of content. In a statement the Commission said, "This design can become harmful when users are continuously and relentlessly exposed to content about sadness, isolation or body image. These so-called content black holes can have destructive effects on users' mental health, particularly vulnerable adults and those under age."

Investigations into the algorithm began in early 2024. The Commission concluded that TikTok did not sufficiently assess how its algorithm could steer users into these content paths or how that risk could endanger their health. The regulator also said the platform has not taken adequate mitigating measures and warned that even selecting the "Not Interested" option for a video may be insufficient to change the recommendations a user receives.

Requested changes and possible penalties

The Commission has asked TikTok to redesign aspects of the For You feed. Required changes highlighted by the regulator include the following measures:

• give greater weight to users' explicit preferences;
• remove watch time as a metric for recommending content;
• increase the accessibility and ease of use of user control settings;
• conduct regular testing of the recommendation algorithm.

If TikTok fails to address these issues to the Commission's satisfaction and the EU confirms its preliminary findings, the company's parent, ByteDance, could face a fine of up to 6 percent of annual global turnover.

TikTok response and timeline

TikTok has rejected the allegations. In a statement to Reuters the company said, "The Commission has put forward a set of claims that are fundamentally incorrect and that mischaracterize the structure of our platform and our commitment to user safety." The company also emphasized it has a strong record of protecting its user community. The regulatory process will determine whether the preliminary findings are confirmed and whether the prescribed changes and any penalties will be imposed.