European Union Demands TikTok Modify Content Ranking Mechanism

Brussels -- The European Commission on Friday called on the Chinese platform TikTok to make fundamental changes to its content recommendation mechanism, warning of the imposition of substantial fines under the EU’s Digital Services Act. In the preliminary results of its investigation, the Commission stated that “the platform’s recommendation system may expose children and other vulnerable groups to content harmful to mental health by repeatedly suggesting videos similar to those the user has previously interacted with, a phenomenon known as the ‘black hole’ effect.” It explained that the algorithm relies on “user engagement indicators such as video views and likes to intensify the display of similar content, including material related to sadness, isolation, body image, and weight loss, which can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem and worsen certain psychological and eating disorders.” The Commission found that the measures TikTok has taken to mitigate these risks, including content diversification tools and the “Not Interested” option, were insufficient, as the algorithm still prioritizes watch time over users’ desire to reduce the visibility of certain content. In this regard, the Commission urged TikTok to place greater emphasis on users’ explicit preferences, eliminate watch time as an indicator for content recommendations, improve access to and usability of control tools, and conduct regular algorithmic testing. This move comes as the EU tightens oversight of major digital platforms to protect children from harmful content and designs that encourage excessive use. Previously, in February, the Commission asked TikTok to modify features it deemed addictive, and in July, it accused the platform of exposing children to the risks of cyberbullying and exploitative behaviors. (End) ARN / AMS