The European Commission warned and it has worked: TikTok has decided to suspend the functions of TikTok Lite in the EU after Brussels threatened to block it for violating the Digital Services law. “TikTok always seeks to engage constructively with the EU Commission and other regulators. “Therefore, we are voluntarily suspending the rewards features on TikTok Lite while we address the concerns they have raised,” the entity said in a statement.
This Monday Brussels had initiated a second formal procedure against TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This time’s opening is intended to assess whether the company may have breached the DSA by launching TikTok Lite in France and Spain. Under the DSA, very large online platforms designated are required to submit a risk assessment reportincluding measures to mitigate any potential systemic risks, before releasing any new functionality that may have a critical impact on your systemic risks.
The Commission was concerned that the TikTok Lite Tasks and Rewards Program, which allows users to earn points by performing certain “tasks” on TikTok – such as watching videos, liking content, following creators, inviting others friends to join TikTok, etc. – HE has been launched without a diligent prior assessment of the risks involved, particularly those related to the addictive effect of the platforms, and without adopting effective risk mitigation measures. This is especially concerning for children, given the alleged lack of effective age verification mechanisms on TikTok. The lack of effective age verification mechanisms and the alleged addictive design of the platforms are already being investigated in the first formal proceedings against TikTok.
“Our children are not social media guinea pigs”, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, reacted on social networks. “The cases against TikTok continue due to the platform’s risk of addiction,” he added, before defending that the DSA “works” to protect users.
More information soon.
