The European Commission accused TikTok: the platform may harm mental health

The European Commission has found that TikTok's social network recommendation algorithm encourages users to repeatedly watch videos that may negatively affect mental health. The institution has published its preliminary conclusion that such activity by the platform may violate the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA).

 

According to the Commission, TikTok's "For You" page recommends videos based on users' interests and activity on the platform. For example, if a user frequently watches videos related to depression, loneliness, weight loss, or appearance, the algorithm may also suggest other content on the same topic.

 

The European Commission refers to this situation as the "rabbit hole" effect. According to it, the relentless recommendation of videos with identical content may exacerbate problems such as anxiety, depression, decreased self-confidence, and dissatisfaction with one's appearance in some users. This poses a particular risk for minors and mentally vulnerable users.

 

The Commission has reached the preliminary conclusion that TikTok has not adequately assessed the existing risks, and the measures introduced to mitigate them are ineffective.

 

In particular, the "Not interested" button on the platform may not sufficiently reflect the user's desire to change the recommended content. This is because the algorithm may give more weight to how long a user watches a video than to the user's direct choice regarding content.

 

The European Commission is demanding that TikTok revise its recommendation system. Specifically, it proposes placing greater emphasis on users' explicitly stated preferences, refraining from using video watch time as one of the primary signals in the recommendation algorithm, simplifying content management tools, and regularly testing the algorithm.

 

TikTok can now respond to the Commission's preliminary conclusions and present its position. This is not yet a final decision. If a violation is confirmed at the end of the investigation, the company may be fined up to 6 percent of its annual worldwide turnover.