The European Commission has preliminarily found that TikTok’s personalized video feed breaches European Union online-safety rules by repeatedly steering users toward similar material that could harm their mental health.

The November 6 findings target the platform’s “For You” recommendation system, particularly repeated exposure to videos about sadness, isolation and body image. The Commission says children and vulnerable adults face particular risks. TikTok disputes the assessment.

The development is a new enforcement step focused on how the platform selects and repeats videos, rather than a final ruling or an announcement that particular content must be removed. The findings address whether TikTok adequately assessed those risks and took effective steps to reduce them.

According to the Commission, interacting with a category of videos can cause the feed to recommend more of the same, drawing users into what regulators describe as harmful “rabbit holes.” Its position is that TikTok’s existing safeguards do not sufficiently interrupt those patterns.

Euronews reported that regulators want TikTok to give greater weight to users’ stated preferences, make controls easier to find and use, and regularly test its recommendation system. The Commission also questioned reliance on viewing time to select videos, saying a user’s indication that they are not interested may be insufficient to change the feed.

TikTok rejected the findings. In a statement reported by Reuters and Euronews, the company said the Commission had misrepresented its platform’s design and safety measures. It maintained that users already have straightforward controls over their content experience.

The case falls under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Reuters reported that TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, could face a penalty of up to six per cent of global annual turnover if the matter is not resolved. No fine has been imposed through these preliminary findings.

TikTok can examine the investigation documents and respond in writing before the Commission reaches a final conclusion, according to the Law Society of Ireland’s Gazette.

The action concerns European rules and does not announce any change to TikTok’s service in Canada. It nevertheless puts the design of personalized feeds—and whether user controls meaningfully interrupt repetitive recommendations—at the centre of a consequential international platform-safety dispute.

Sources