EU warns TikTok over harmful recommendation loops in its For You feed
The European Commission said on 6 November that its preliminary investigation found TikTok’s For You recommendation system in breach of the Digital Services Act because of harmful “rabbit hole” effects. This is not a final decision or an announced fine.
The European Commission said on 6 November that its preliminary investigation found TikTok’s For You recommendation system in breach of the Digital Services Act because of harmful “rabbit hole” effects. This is not a final decision or an announced fine.
The Commission said repeated recommendations about sadness, isolation or body image could harm vulnerable adults and minors. It also said controls such as the “not interested” button did not adequately reduce the risks and called for changes to the feed’s design.
TikTok disputed the findings, telling the Guardian they distorted its platform and safety work. The company can inspect the investigation file and respond. If the findings are confirmed, a fine could reach 6% of global annual turnover.
According to the Commission, TikTok’s For You feed shows users a continuous stream of personalised videos, even when they relate to mental health struggles and body image. The more a user interacts with a type of content, the more similar content the algorithm recommends. The preliminary findings cover both TikTok’s risk assessment and its mitigation measures.