What we know
What we know: EU says 'rabbit hole' video feeds on TikTok violate its digital rules
Compiled Nov 6
What we know
- The EU accused TikTok of breaching the bloc's digital rules because its algorithm recommends a nonstop stream of personalized videos
- Regulators say TikTok's 'For You' feed can lead users into 'rabbit holes' threatening wellbeing by feeding similar videos based on past viewing or likes
- The European Commission said TikTok must change the design of its 'For You' feed to give users more control over opting out of certain content
- TikTok added a 'not interested' button to reduce the 'rabbit hole effect' but the commission said it's ineffective
- Regulators want TikTok to give more weight to users' explicit preferences, stop relying on viewing time as a metric, and make user controls more accessible
- The commission opened its investigation into whether TikTok violated the DSA more than two years ago, and has issued two other sets of preliminary findings this year
What we don’t know yet
- TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment
- The company will have a chance to respond to preliminary findings before a final decision is issued
Open questions
- How will TikTok respond to the preliminary findings?
- What specific technical changes will TikTok make to its recommendation algorithm?
- Will the commission ultimately impose a fine, and how large will it be?
- How will TikTok verify or enforce stronger user controls in practice?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.