The European Commission said TikTok accounts fall short of Digital Services Act (DSA) safety standards. It said the social media platform allows children to make their account public, enabling others to see the content and potentially exposing them to cyberbullying or contact from abusers. It said even private accounts are not safe for children as they can be easily found through the "following" and "followers" list of other users, even by people who do not have a TikTok account. TikTok should adjust the default settings of minors' public accounts so that the content is by default only visible to TikTok users accepted by the children, the Commission said.

The European Commission preliminarily found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act for its addictive design.[1] The Commission’s investigation preliminarily indicates that TikTok did not adequately assess how these addictive features could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of its users, including minors and vulnerable adults.[1] For example, the current measures on TikTok, particularly the screentime management tools and parental control tools, do not seem to effectively reduce the risks stemming from TikTok's addictive design.[1]

The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to assess whether TikTok may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) in areas linked to the protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, as well as the risk management of addictive design and harmful content.[5] On the basis of the preliminary investigation conducted so far… the Commission has decided to open formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act.[5] Other issues raised included age assurance, TikTok's obligation to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors, and data access for researchers.[3]

"Today, we initiate an investigation into TikTok regarding suspected violations of transparency and obligations to protect minors: issues related to addictive design, screen time limitations, the rabbit hole effect, age verification, and default privacy settings," Breton announced on X. The European Commission indicated that the investigation will examine the structural design of TikTok’s platform, particularly algorithmic systems that may encourage behavioral addictions or lead to so-called 'rabbit hole effects.' Additionally, it will assess whether TikTok has implemented suitable and proportionate measures to guarantee high standards of privacy, safety, and security for minors.

With the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU has already in place rules that oblige online platforms of all sizes to ensure high levels of privacy, safety, and security for minors. The DSA obliges providers of platforms with more than 45 million monthly active recipients in the EU to assess and put in place efficient mitigation measures against systemic risks. On this basis, due to suspected infringements of the DSA, the Commission has opened two non-compliance cases against TikTok. The first, launched in February 2024, concerns TikTok’s algorithmic systems, that may stimulate behavioural addictions. The second, launched in April 2024, concerns TikTok Lite, based on the suspicion that some features of this new application may cause negative effects on mental health. The non-compliance case remains nonetheless open, and the investigation is ongoing.

By Júlia Tar (July 24, 2026, 10:01 GMT | Insight) -- TikTok's default account settings for minors breach the EU's Digital Services Act because they fail to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for children, the European Commission said in preliminary findings on Friday. TikTok's default account settings for minors fail to provide the high level of privacy, safety and security required under the EU's Digital Services Act because they expose children's accounts and content too widely, the European Commission said on Friday based on preliminary findings. The preliminary findings say that under current settings, children aged 16 and 17 can make their accounts public, with their content recommended to strangers on the "For You" feed, and that even when accounts are set to private, profile pictures and some information remain widely visible, falling short of DSA safety standards for minors.

Following the formal proceedings initiated on 19 February 2024 to evaluate potential breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by TikTok, the European Commission issued its preliminary findings on 15 May 2025, stating that TikTok appeared to be in violation of the Act.[3] When proceedings were opened in 2024, the Commission also addressed the negative effects stemming from the design of TikTok's algorithmic systems, such as 'rabbit hole effects' and behavioural addiction.[3] Other issues raised included age assurance, TikTok's obligation to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors, and data access for researchers.[3]

TikTok's addictive design is in breach of the Digital Services Act. This is the Commission's preliminary view after a thorough investigation.[6] Because TikTok offers infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommender systems. These features lead to the compulsive use of the app, especially for our kids. And this poses major risks to their mental health and well-being.[6] TikTok did not properly assess how its addictive features can harm users and they did not implement effective measures to mitigate such risks.[6]

On 24 October 2025, the European Commission preliminarily found TikTok in breach of its obligation under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to grant researchers adequate access to public data. The investigation concerns several aspects of DSA compliance, including the protection of minors, data access for researchers, and transparency of advertising. The preliminary findings indicate that TikTok may not be providing the level of data access necessary to assess risks to users, including minors, on the platform.

BRUSSELS, July 24 (Reuters) - ByteDance's social media platform TikTok has been charged with breaching EU online content rules due to design features which could expose children to predators or cyberbullying, EU regulators said on Friday, putting the company at risk of a hefty fine.[8] The charges, called preliminary findings under the Digital Services Act which requires Big Tech to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content… The European Commission, which serves as the EU tech enforcer, said TikTok accounts fall short of DSA safety standards.[8] It said the social media platform allows children to make their account public, enabling others to see the content and potentially exposing them to cyberbullying or contact from abusers… even private accounts are not safe for children as they can be easily found through the 'following' and 'followers' list of other users.[8]

Enhanced protection for minors - Platforms must take measures to safeguard minors on their services, such as reducing the risks of exposure to age-inappropriate content like gambling or pornography. The DSA also introduces a complete ban on showing targeted advertisements to children. The second annual report on systemic risks and mitigation measures under the Digital Services Act (DSA) highlighted risks to children and young people online and how the DSA is building an effective long-term approach to combatting such risks.

On 6 February 2026, the European Commission published preliminary findings stating that TikTok’s design features could breach the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The case targets a package of “sticky” features — infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and a highly personalised recommender system — which, regulators argue, can reduce users’ ability to disengage and may worsen risks for minors. Children and teenagers are not the only users affected by compulsive design, but they are the focus of the Commission’s risk framing. The preliminary findings stress that platform safeguards should be robust enough for minors and other vulnerable users without relying on perfect user behaviour or constant parental intervention.

In its preliminary findings published on 6 February 2026, the European Commission found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) for its addictive design. It is the first time enforcement action has not focused on illegal content, data protection or competition, but on the harmful architecture of the platform itself, especially for minors and vulnerable adults. The briefing notes that TikTok's design features, such as infinite scroll and autoplay, raise particular concerns for children and teenagers because they can drive compulsive use and make it harder for young users to disengage.

The Commission also preliminarily found Meta, for both Instagram and Facebook, in breach of its obligations to provide users simple mechanisms to notify illegal content, as well as to allow them to effectively challenge content moderation decisions. The Commission's preliminary findings are part of the Commission's formal proceedings launched into Meta, and formal proceedings to investigate TikTok, under the DSA. These proceedings concern, among others, the protection of minors and the management of systemic risks linked to addictive design and harmful content.

On 6 February 2026, the European Commission disclosed its long-awaited preliminary findings regarding its investigation into whether TikTok, the social media platform used by 170 million people across the European Union, is in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA). According to the Commission, TikTok failed to conduct an adequate risk assessment and evaluate how addictive design features, including infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system, could harm the physical and mental well-being of its users, specifically minors and vulnerable adults. The preliminary findings further accuse TikTok of implementing inadequate risk mitigation measures and state that to meaningfully comply with the DSA and ultimately make the app less addictive for users, TikTok will have to change its basic design, such as disabling infinite scroll and implementing effective screen time breaks, with a focus on minors' protection.

The European Commission preliminarily found TikTok in violation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) on Friday (6 February), for breaching the EU’s addictive design rules.[9] Brussels has reason to believe that TikTok did not adequately assess the addiction risks, especially to minors, related to integrated design features, such as infinite scroll — arguing its reward content system can “shift the brain of users into ‘autopilot mode’.”[9] Beyond risk assessment, the commission also suggests that the platforms’ integrated risk-management measures fail to truly manage risk.[9]

The European Commission has released its preliminary findings that TikTok is in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) as a result of the platform’s "addictive design". The latest preliminary findings relate to the protection of minors, including from addictive design and harmful content. According to these preliminary findings, TikTok did not adequately assess the potential impacts to users’ physical and mental wellbeing, including minors and vulnerable adults, and its risk mitigation measures such as screentime management tools and parental control tools do not seem to effectively reduce these risks, meaning certain design features must be adapted over time (such as infinite scroll) to comply with the DSA.

The Commission is concerned that the “Task and Reward Program” of TikTok Lite, which allows users to earn points while performing certain “tasks” on TikTok - such as watching videos, liking content, following creators, inviting friends to join TikTok, etc. - has been launched without prior diligent assessment of the risks it entails, in particular those related to the addictive effect of the platforms, and without taking effective risk mitigating measures. This is of particular concern for children, given the suspected absence of effective age verification mechanisms on TikTok. Finally, given TikTok's inability to submit the risk assessment which should have been carried out prior to launching TikTok Lite, the Commission suspects a prima facie infringement of the DSA and considers that there are risks of serious damage for the mental health of users, including minors' mental health, especially as a result of the new feature stimulating addictive behavior.

The European Commission preliminarily found that TikTok was in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the addictive design of its platform.[2] According to the Commission, features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalised recommender systems were not adequately assessed. In addition, TikTok’s existing risk mitigation measures were found to be insufficient, prompting the Commission to call for a rethinking of core design mechanics.[2] Civil society organisations stressed that the Commission’s focus on minors and vulnerable adults was crucial in addressing the harms coming from engagement-driven design.[2]

The European Commission announced on Friday that the American technology powerhouse Meta (META.O) and the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok have failed to meet their responsibilities in providing researchers adequate access to public data, as highlighted in its initial assessments under the Digital Services Act (DSA).[4] "The preliminary conclusions from the Commission indicate that Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok may have established cumbersome processes and tools for researchers seeking access to public data," remarked the EU executive, addressing the transparency concerns.[4] The Commission also mentioned that the companies now have the opportunity to review its findings and take corrective actions to address the violations, emphasizing that these preliminary conclusions do not determine the final outcome of the investigation.[4]

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings indicating that Meta and TikTok may have violated key transparency and user rights obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The assessment, published on 24 October 2025, follows months of investigation into whether both companies are providing adequate data access to researchers and effective tools for users to report illegal content or appeal moderation decisions. According to the Commission, both companies appear to have created complex and restrictive procedures that limit researchers’ access to public data, making it difficult to assess the spread of harmful or illegal content and its impact on users, especially minors. It is important to emphasise that these are preliminary findings and do not amount to a final decision.

TikTok's default account settings for minors fail to provide the high level of privacy, safety and security required under the EU's Digital Services Act because they expose children's accounts and content too widely, the European Commission said on Friday based on preliminary findings. The preliminary findings say that TikTok allows children to make their accounts public, enabling others to see the content and potentially exposing them to cyberbullying or contact from abusers, and that even private accounts can be easily found via "following" and "followers" lists. The Commission said TikTok accounts fall short of DSA safety standards and that it may ultimately impose fines of up to 6% of the company's global annual turnover if these preliminary findings are confirmed.

TikTok's addictive features may violate digital safety rules, according to preliminary findings from the European Commission. The findings were presented as part of an investigation into TikTok’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), launched in February 2024. They indicate that TikTok does not adequately assess how features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and its highly personalised recommender system can have a damaging effect on the mental health of users – in particular children. At this stage, the Commission considers that TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service, for instance by disabling key addictive features such as ‘infinite scroll’ over time and implementing effective ‘screen time breaks’, including during the night and adapting its recommender system.

"TikTok's addictive design is in breach of the Digital Services Act. This is the Commission's preliminary view after a thorough investigation," the spokesperson states in the midday press briefing. Because TikTok offers infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommender systems, "these features lead to the compulsive use of the app, especially for our kids. And this poses major risks to their mental health and well-being." The spokesperson further explains that screen time management and parental controls "are not properly working on TikTok" and that the company "did not properly assess how its addictive features can harm users" or implement effective mitigation measures, as required for very large online platforms under the DSA.

TikTok (alongside Meta) is recorded as preliminarily in breach of Article 40 of the Digital Services Act for burdensome procedures and tools for researcher access to public data. TikTok is also preliminarily in breach over addictive design (infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications); the Commission says it must change the basic design, for example disable infinite scroll over time. The case description notes that the Commission’s DSA proceedings against TikTok involve concerns about minors, addictive design, ads and data access, indicating a systemic focus on children's safety and platform design features affecting young users.

Our findings reveal a stark regulatory paradox. TikTok demonstrates formal compliance with Article 28(2) of the Digital Services Act by shielding minors from profiled formal advertisements, yet both disclosed and undisclosed ads exhibit significant profiling aligned with user interests (5–8 times stronger than for adult formal advertising). On one hand, formal ads are shown less frequently to minors than to adults and show no evidence of profiling toward minors, indicating formal DSA compliance; on the other hand, disclosed and especially undisclosed commercial content, which represents a substantial share of commercial content minors are exposed to, show very strong personalization rates and profiling effects, revealing an enforcement gap and a blind spot in the DSA's protection of minors.

TikTok has breached EU rules for failing to disclose sufficient information about advertising on the platform, the European Commission said in preliminary findings released Thursday.[7] The Commission found that TikTok did not provide a sufficiently comprehensive, searchable and reliable advertising repository as required under the Digital Services Act.[7] The preliminary findings are part of a broader investigation into TikTok’s compliance with the DSA, including areas such as protection of minors, addictive design, and data access for researchers.[7]

We provide the first empirical evidence that profiling-based targeting of minors continues on TikTok through content formats not covered by the Digital Services Act’s definition of "advertisement". Formal advertisements are recommended to minors to a limited extent and show no evidence of profiling, which is consistent with DSA compliance. However, disclosed and especially undisclosed commercial content, which comprises a majority of commercial content delivered to minors, shows very strong personalization rates and profiling effects, demonstrating that minors are still subject to profiling-based targeting in practice despite DSA rules.

In its February 6, 2026 announcement, the Commission preliminarily argues that TikTok’s combination of infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and a highly personalized recommender system may create systemic risks to users’ physical and mental well-being, especially minors and vulnerable adults.[10] In its latest preliminary view, the Commission says TikTok did not adequately assess how certain design elements could affect users’ health and well-being, and it questions whether the company sufficiently acted on indicators it associates with compulsive use, including reported patterns of late-night use among minors and high-frequency app openings.[10] The Commission suggests that, if its preliminary concerns are confirmed, TikTok could be required to make more fundamental design changes in Europe, including limiting or disabling infinite scroll over time, enforcing effective screen-time breaks (especially overnight), and adjusting its recommendation system to reduce compulsive behavior.[10]