The EU opens a second investigation into TikTok Lite: “Potentially toxic, could create addiction”. A stop is possible

The European Commission has opened a second formal proceeding against TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The objective, the Commission says, is to evaluate whether the company may have violated the DSA by launching TikTok Lite in France and Spain. In fact, under the DSA, very large online platforms are obliged to submit […]

There European Commission opened a second procedure formal vs TikTok according to Digital Services Act (DSA). The objective, the Commission states, is to evaluate whether the company may have violated the DSA throwing TikTok Lite in France And Spain. In fact, under the DSA, very large online platforms are obligatory to submit a risk assessment report, including any mitigation measures systemic risksbefore launching any new features.

“We suspect the TikTok Lite version is toxic and create dependenceespecially for children – said the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton -. Unless TikTok provides compelling evidence of safety, which it has so far failed to do, we stand ready to trigger interim DSA measures, including suspending the TikTokLite rewards program.” From Brussels, meanwhile, they are threatening to suspend from Thursday some functions of the TikTok Lite app, launched in the two European countries, to push users to spend more time on the platform using a prize system. The Commission is concerned about the “risks of serious damage to mental health of users”, including minors, deriving from the rewards program which can induce “addiction”.

A first European Commission investigation into TikTok was opened on Last February 19th. The proceeding, also in that case, had the objective of evaluating whether the Chinese social network could have violated the Digital Services Act in areas related to protection of minorsat the transparency of advertisingto theaccess to data for researchers and to design risk management addictive and harmful content.