TikTok Faces EU Accusations of Addictive Design: Implications for Users

European Commission Levels Formal Charges Against TikTok

According to Главком: The European Commission has formally charged TikTok with breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), alleging the platform's design fosters user addiction. The EU's executive body contends that features like:

• infinite scrolling,
• autoplay for videos,
• push notifications,
• a highly personalized recommendation algorithm

pose risks to user well-being, particularly for children and teenagers. The Commission argues TikTok failed to conduct a proper assessment of these features' impact.

EU regulators also deemed the app's parental controls and screen-time management tools insufficient. TikTok has rejected the allegations as unfounded and pledged to challenge the findings. This action is part of a broader EU crackdown on major tech platforms. Notably, TikTok was found guilty in October of denying researchers access to its data, though it avoided fines in December by agreeing to new transparency commitments.

Australia Enacts Strict New Social Media Ban

Separately, Australia will implement a ban from December 10, 2025, prohibiting children under 16 from using social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Platforms must delete underage accounts, with violators facing fines of up to $49.5 million. The European Parliament has also passed a resolution recommending a higher minimum age for social media registration, signaling a global regulatory trend.

According to Henna Virkkunen, 'social media addiction negatively impacts youth brain development, and the law obligates platforms to be accountable for this influence.'

These developments highlight growing global concern over children's safety online. The actions by the European Commission and the Australian government underscore a concerted effort by regulators to enforce more responsible social media practices, especially concerning young users. The implementation of new laws and recommendations is likely to force major platforms to adapt their features and safety policies in the coming years.