EU regulators say TikTok's endless feed may break the law

European regulators say TikTok's endless feed of personalized videos may break EU law. In preliminary findings, the European Commission says TikTok has not done enough to reduce the mental health risks of its recommendation system. It says this violates the Digital Services Act, an EU law.

What regulators object to

The Commission points to the continuous stream of videos TikTok picks for each user. The concern is how the system reads interest. If you keep watching a certain kind of video, it treats that as a sign you want more. Regulators say this can create a "rabbit hole effect," especially with content about sadness, isolation or body image. They say it can hurt mental health, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults. They want TikTok to:

• Rely more on what users say they prefer
• Stop using viewing time as a signal to recommend videos
• Make user controls easier to find and use
• Test its algorithm regularly

What happens next

These are early findings, not a final decision. If TikTok does not follow the Commission's final report and recommendations, it could be fined up to 6 percent of its global revenue. It is not yet known how TikTok will respond or when a final ruling will come.

Separately, TikTok, Meta and Google have sued California's attorney general to block a state law against "addictive" and "psychologically exploitative" design. It covers features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and personalized recommendations.