EU tells TikTok to fix ‘harmful’ For You feed, threatens fines

TikTok's algorithm 'leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from', European Commission says.

TikTok’s algorithm ‘leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from’, European Commission says. The European Union has ordered TikTok to change the algorithm powering its For You feed, threatening the social media platform with large fines. On Friday, Brussels accused TikTok of violating the EU’s Digital Services Act over the “harmful ‘rabbit holes’ effect” by feeding users similar video clips based on what they’ve previously viewed or liked, even if they are “triggering”. “Every time a user scrolls or likes a video on TikTok, the algorithm serves more of the same, leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from,” European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, said in a statement.

“Today’s preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users’ well-being, including those of minors.” The algorithm, according to the EU, results in the “endless” exposure of users to “content about sadness, isolation or body image.” The EU said that although TikTok had made some changes to mitigate the risks highlighted by the commission, the tweaks were not enough. TikTok rejected the EU’s findings, saying they are “fundamentally inaccurate and distort our platform’s architecture and our commitment to user safety”. TikTok has “a strong record of protecting our community while giving users direct and intuitive control