EU Demands TikTok Ditch Addictive Tricks or Face Huge Fines!

The European Union has told TikTok that it must change the way its app is designed or it could face a huge fine. The EU says TikTok's design is too addictive, especially for young people and children. This means that the app encourages users to keep watching videos for a long time, which can be harmful to their wellbeing. The EU started investigating TikTok in February 2024. After looking into the app, the European Commission said TikTok did not do enough to check if features like autoplay could be dangerous for users. Autoplay is when videos keep playing one after another without the user having to do anything. The Commission also said TikTok did not take enough steps to protect people from these risks.

The EU gave TikTok several suggestions to help make the app safer. One idea is to add 'screen time breaks' at night, so people do not stay up too late watching videos. Another suggestion is to change the way TikTok's algorithm works. The algorithm is what decides which videos you see. The EU also wants TikTok to turn off 'infinite scroll,' which lets users keep scrolling through videos without stopping. The EU says these changes are important to protect children and other users.

TikTok disagrees with the EU's findings. A spokesperson for TikTok said the report was not true and that the company will fight against it. If TikTok does not make changes, the EU could fine them up to 6 percent of their global yearly earnings, which could be billions of euros. This is not the first time the EU has investigated big tech companies. They have also looked into other apps like X, which used to be called Twitter. Experts say this is a big warning for all social media companies. The EU wants these companies to be more responsible and make sure their platforms are safe for everyone, especially young people.