The European Commission said on 6 February 2026 that TikTok has broken the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), in a preliminary finding. It says the company did not properly assess the harm its endless video feed can cause, and that its steps to curb overuse do not work. The finding is not a final decision, and there is no fine yet.
The Commission talks of an "addictive design". It points to endless scrolling, autoplay of the next video, phone notifications and a highly personalised recommendation system. Together, it says, these features keep rewarding users with new videos and push them into an "autopilot" mode in which self-control weakens.
The "rabbit hole" and the investigation since February 2024
A "rabbit hole" is what happens when recommendations lead a user from video to video, deeper and deeper into one topic, and stopping gets hard. The "For You" feed has no end that would create a natural pause. The system tracks what users watch, for how long and what they skip, and orders the next videos on that basis.
Formally, the "rabbit hole" is part of a wider investigation into TikTok that began on 19 February 2024. The probe also covers minors getting around age limits, and their privacy and safety. The preliminary findings in February target addictive design as a whole, and the recommendation system is one of the features in them.
Articles 34 and 35 of the DSA
The preliminary finding refers to Articles 34 and 35. They require large platforms to assess their risks and to limit them with reasonable and proportionate steps.
The Commission says TikTok did not properly assess how these features could harm the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults. It says the company also ignored signs of compulsive use, such as minors watching at night and how often the app is opened.
The Commission also says the safeguards do not work. Screen-time tools are easy to dismiss and cause little friction, while parental controls take time and skills from parents. It calls them ineffective against a risk that is "built into the very set-up of the service".
The Commission believes TikTok will have to change the basic design of the service. As examples, it names switching off endless scrolling step by step, screen-time breaks, including at night, and changes to the recommendation system. Executive vice-president Henna Virkkunen said addiction to social media can harm the minds of children and teenagers while they are still developing.
TikTok already offers several tools. The "Daily Screen Time" limit for people aged 13 to 17 is one hour by default, but the Commission says the warnings are easy to ignore. "Family Pairing" lets parents set limits and filter content.
Since 2023 users have also been able to reset their recommendations. After a reset, the "For You" feed looks as if the account is new and picks videos based on the new activity. Before that, the only way to start over was to open a new account. The recommendation settings also include a break reminder for long sessions and wellbeing information banners. The Commission says such tools are not enough when the risk lies in the design itself.
TikTok's response and a fine of up to 6% of turnover
TikTok rejects the findings and calls the picture painted of the platform "categorically false and entirely meritless". The company promised to challenge them by all available means. It says experts do not agree on how to manage screen time, so it gives people tools to set their own limits.
TikTok can review the case file, reply in writing and offer its own changes. The Commission will consult the European Board for Digital Services. There is no deadline for a decision.
If the Commission finds a breach, the fine can reach 6% of TikTok's global annual turnover. So far there has been only one fine under the DSA: €120 million on X in 2025. That was for misleading "blue checks", not for addictive design.
Proceedings over addictive design are also under way against Facebook, Instagram and Shein, but preliminary findings have been published only for TikTok.