Technology & Science
EU Slaps TikTok With ‘Addictive Design’ Violation, Threatens 6% Global-Revenue Fine
On 6 Feb 2026 the European Commission issued preliminary findings that TikTok’s infinite-scroll, autoplay and algorithm breach the Digital Services Act, ordering a redesign or face penalties of up to 6 % of worldwide turnover.
Focusing Facts
- Potential fine: up to 6 % of ByteDance’s 2024 global revenue (~$9.3 billion).
- EU says 170 million Europeans use TikTok; 7 % of 12-15-year-olds spend 4-5 hours daily on the app.
- Days earlier in the U.S., TikTok usage dipped to 86-88 m daily active users after the Oracle-led ownership shift but rebounded above 90 m, while rival UpScrolled fell from 138k to 68k DAUs.
Context
Brussels’ move recalls the 1990 U.S. Children’s Television Act, which limited ad-saturated cartoons after studies tied viewing to attention disorders; both moments target the business model, not the speech. Regulators are signalling a structural shift: from moderating harmful content to policing ‘attention extraction’ mechanics that underpin Silicon Valley’s ad economy. If the EU finalises a 6 % revenue sanction, it would echo the 2018 €4.3 b Google antitrust fine that nudged Android worldwide—companies typically harmonise products globally rather than fork code for one region. Long-cycle, this could mark the start of a century-long transition toward safety standards for digital interfaces, analogous to seat-belt mandates in the 1960s: unnoticed at first, later universal. Alternatively, if ByteDance successfully litigates, the ruling may join past moral panics over comic books (1954) and video games (1993) that fizzled. Either way, the precedent of evaluating ‘addictive design’ in legal terms enlarges the state’s remit over algorithmic architecture—an inflection point likely to shape global tech governance well into the 2100s.
Perspectives
Tech outlets emphasizing EU regulators' stance
e.g., Fast Company, TechCrunch EU bureau, PC Magazine — They report that the European Commission’s preliminary findings show TikTok’s infinite-scroll, autoplay and recommendation engine breach the Digital Services Act and must be redesigned or face fines up to 6 % of global turnover. Stories lean heavily on Commission press releases, reinforcing a narrative of firm EU oversight and citing alarming child-usage statistics without much independent verification, which helps dramatize regulatory power and drive traffic.
Skeptical/industry-friendly tech commentary
e.g., PC Gamer, Gizmodo — Coverage casts doubt on how realistic or proportional the EU demands are, noting that stripping features like infinite scroll would gut the app’s core appeal and relaying TikTok’s claim that the findings are “categorically false and entirely meritless.” Writers cater to an audience of tech enthusiasts wary of over-regulation, so they spotlight potential government overreach and minimize the cited addiction science, implicitly defending the status quo of engagement-driven design.
Marketing and business-focus publications looking at U.S. user trends
e.g., Social Media Today, TechCrunch U.S. market data — They stress that after brief glitches and privacy worries, American daily active users are already bouncing back and rival apps’ download spikes are fading, meaning brands can safely keep prioritizing TikTok for reach. Analysis is framed around advertisers’ needs, so it downplays deeper privacy or mental-health debates and assumes continued platform dominance, which aligns with marketers’ incentive to stick with a proven traffic driver.