EU Preliminary Finding Says TikTok’s Recommendation System Violates Digital Services Act

According to ChainCatcher citing Caixin, the European Commission preliminarily found on November 6 that TikTok’s recommendation system creates a “rabbit hole effect” that makes it difficult for users to stop scrolling, violating the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission said TikTok’s existing mitigation measures were ineffective and called for changes to its “For You” algorithm, including relying more on users’ explicitly stated preferences, removing watch time as a recommendation signal, and making user controls easier to use. If the violation is confirmed, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. TikTok denied the allegations, saying the Commission’s claims are fundamentally untrue. The finding is preliminary, not a final penalty decision, and TikTok can exercise its right to defend itself.