The Commission says TikTok failed to take adequate measures to mitigate risks from repeated recommendations. Its owner ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6% of global annual turnover if the issue is not resolved.
The European Commission alleged on 6 November that TikTok breached the Digital Services Act by failing to take reasonable, proportionate and effective measures against risks from its recommendation system. The findings are preliminary, not a final decision that TikTok infringed the law.
The allegation is part of a broader investigation. In February 2026, regulators issued preliminary findings about what they said were addictive design features, inadequate protection for children and difficulties for researchers seeking access to public data. TikTok called those earlier findings “categorically false” and said it would challenge them.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said that scrolling or liking a video prompts TikTok’s system to serve more of the same, creating “rabbit holes” that users cannot easily escape. The Commission said repeated exposure to content about sadness, isolation or body image can harm mental health. Virkkunen called for stronger protection of users' well-being, including that of minors.
The Commission wants TikTok to change how its For You feed selects videos, rely more on preferences users explicitly choose, make controls easier to find and use, and test the system regularly.
The Digital Services Act requires large online platforms to take measures against harmful and illegal content. CNA said ByteDance could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover in 2027 unless it resolves the issue.
The holding was worth $547.9 million as of September, Alphabet disclosed on 6 November.
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