EU Warns of Potential Ban on TikTok’s New Feature Due to Suspicions of Being “Harmful and Addictive”

The European Commission has given Tiktok a deadline of 24 hours to respond to demands made regarding the investigation into the Tiktok Lite application. The investigation concerns the app’s rewards feature, which allows users to earn points for various activities on the platform. The EU Internal Market Commissioner is concerned that this feature may be toxic and addictive, particularly for children.

If Tiktok fails to provide evidence of the feature’s security by the deadline, the commission may consider banning the feature. The Digital Services Act allows the EU to fine companies for non-compliance, and Tiktok could face penalties if they do not meet the requirements.

Tiktok Lite is a version of the popular app designed for minimal resource usage and data consumption. Despite Tiktok’s claims that the feature in question is not available to users under 18 and has daily limits, the EU is still investigating potential risks associated with the reward program.

This is not the first time the EU has investigated Tiktok for issues related to underage users and other concerns. The company’s parent company, Bytedance, has emphasized that it is not a Chinese company, despite being registered in the Cayman Islands. The outcome of the investigation will determine whether Tiktok Lite can continue to offer its rewards feature in the EU market.