EU asks TikTok to change ‘addictive design’, Snapchat next on radar – TRT World

The European Commission has said that TikTok was in breach of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) due to its addictive design; warning features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalised recommender systems pose serious risks, particularly to minors. The commission’s preliminary investigation indicates that TikTok did not adequately assess the impact of these features on the physical and mental well-being of users, including vulnerable adults, according to a statement on Friday. Certain design elements, the commission said, encourage compulsive behaviour by constantly “rewarding” users with new content, shifting their usage into a so-called “autopilot mode.” At this stage, the EU is calling on TikTok to change the basic design of its service, including disabling addictive features such as infinite scroll, implementing effective screen-time breaks, and adapting its recommender system. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters in Brussels that data show TikTok is the most-used platform after midnight among children aged 13 to 18 in the bloc, with 7 percent of children aged 12 to 15 spending four to five hours daily on the app. “These (TikTok’s) features lead to the compulsive use of the app, especially for our kids, and this poses major risks to
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