Podcast Episode
Commission regulators concluded that these features stimulate users' desire to continue scrolling, effectively putting their brains into a state of autopilot and encouraging compulsive behaviour. The investigation found TikTok has not adequately assessed how its platform could harm the physical and mental health of users, with particular concern for children and vulnerable adults.
The Commission also criticised TikTok's existing Daily Screen Time feature, noting that warnings are too easy to dismiss and that parental controls require unreasonable time and technical skill from parents to set up.
The ruling arrives amid a global wave of social media regulation. Australia has already banned social media for users under sixteen, Spain has become the first European country to follow suit, and France and Denmark are advancing similar legislation. In the United States, TikTok recently settled a landmark addiction lawsuit in late January, while Meta and YouTube continue to face trial over claims their platforms deliberately harm children.
If the findings are confirmed, TikTok could face fines of up to six percent of its global annual turnover, which based on recent revenue figures could amount to billions of dollars.
EU Accuses TikTok of Addictive Design in Landmark Digital Services Act Ruling
February 8, 2026
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The European Commission has preliminarily found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act, accusing the platform of using addictive design features including infinite scroll, autoplay, and push notifications that put users' brains into autopilot mode. TikTok faces potential fines of up to six percent of its global annual turnover if the findings are confirmed.
EU Takes Aim at TikTok's Core Design
The European Commission has issued preliminary findings accusing TikTok of breaching the bloc's Digital Services Act through what regulators describe as deliberately addictive design features. The ruling, announced on the sixth of February twenty twenty-six, targets the very foundation of how TikTok operates, including infinite scroll, autoplay videos, push notifications, and its highly personalised recommendation algorithm.Commission regulators concluded that these features stimulate users' desire to continue scrolling, effectively putting their brains into a state of autopilot and encouraging compulsive behaviour. The investigation found TikTok has not adequately assessed how its platform could harm the physical and mental health of users, with particular concern for children and vulnerable adults.
Sweeping Changes Demanded
Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, stated that social media addiction can have detrimental effects on developing minds. The Commission is demanding TikTok disable features like infinite scroll, implement more effective screen time breaks including overnight restrictions, and fundamentally alter its recommendation engine that feeds users an endless stream of short videos.The Commission also criticised TikTok's existing Daily Screen Time feature, noting that warnings are too easy to dismiss and that parental controls require unreasonable time and technical skill from parents to set up.
TikTok Pushes Back as Global Pressure Mounts
TikTok has forcefully rejected the accusations, calling them categorically false and entirely meritless, vowing to challenge the findings through every available means. The company now has the opportunity to respond formally and propose its own solutions.The ruling arrives amid a global wave of social media regulation. Australia has already banned social media for users under sixteen, Spain has become the first European country to follow suit, and France and Denmark are advancing similar legislation. In the United States, TikTok recently settled a landmark addiction lawsuit in late January, while Meta and YouTube continue to face trial over claims their platforms deliberately harm children.
If the findings are confirmed, TikTok could face fines of up to six percent of its global annual turnover, which based on recent revenue figures could amount to billions of dollars.
Published February 8, 2026 at 8:25am