Amnesty Urges EU to Enforce Digital Services Act Against TikTok’s Addictive Design

Amnesty Urges EU to Enforce Digital Services Act Against TikTok’s Addictive Design
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Amnesty International on Friday called on the European Commission to take firm action against TikTok under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), warning that the platform’s design poses risks to users’ mental and physical wellbeing, particularly children and vulnerable adults.

The appeal followed the Commission’s preliminary finding that TikTok is in breach of the DSA, which regulates online platforms to protect users’ fundamental rights. Regulators said TikTok’s features — including infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system — encourage prolonged and compulsive use.

Amnesty researcher Lisa Dittmer said governments should focus on addressing harmful platform design rather than restricting children’s access to digital spaces, stressing that protecting children also means safeguarding their right to participate online.

The Commission found that TikTok failed to adequately assess and mitigate the negative impacts of its design, noting that existing tools such as screen-time limits are easy to bypass and parental controls require significant effort. It proposed that TikTok modify its core design, including disabling infinite scroll over time, introducing effective screen breaks and adjusting its recommender system.

The findings form part of an investigation launched in February 2024. Separately, the Commission previously concluded TikTok breached the DSA by failing to provide researchers access to public data.