EU demands changes to TikTok's For You feed over 'rabbit hole' risks
The European Commission demanded changes to TikTok's recommendation algorithm on Friday, November 6, saying it can repeatedly steer children and vulnerable users toward potentially damaging videos. The preliminary findings could lead to substantial fines under the EU's Digital Services Act. TikTok disputed the accusations.
Daniel Pereira
Repeated recommendations under scrutiny
The Commission's case centers on how the personalized For You feed responds to engagement: interacting with a particular kind of video brings more similar content into a user's feed, sometimes leading to more dangerous material. Brussels says this creates harmful "rabbit holes" and that TikTok has not adequately assessed the risks to users' well-being.
"The more a user interacts with a certain type of content, the more TikTok's 'For You' feed algorithm recommends similar content. This design can be harmful when such endless and repeated exposure involves, for example, content about sadness, isolation or body image," the Commission said.
Regulators warned that repeated exposure could deepen sadness or anxiety, increase dissatisfaction with one's body, lower self-esteem or worsen an existing eating disorder. They also said similar videos continue to appear even after users indicate that they do not want that content.
TikTok rejected the findings. A spokesperson criticized the EU's "series of statements that are fundamentally inaccurate and distort our platform's architecture and our commitment to user safety" and said the company has "a strong record of protecting our community while giving users direct and intuitive control over their content experience".
Changes sought to the feed
The Commission said TikTok's efforts to reduce these risks had not worked and called for more substantial changes to the feed's design. Its suggestions include giving greater weight to preferences users explicitly state, rather than relying on engagement signals. The app's "not interested" button, it said, "may not be enough to change the content feed".
Other proposed measures include no longer using viewing time to guide recommendations, making controls easier to find and use, and testing the algorithm regularly.
A senior EU official distinguished Friday's findings from those issued in February, which concerned features such as notifications. This time, the focus is the algorithm itself. Observers credit that algorithm with TikTok's popularity, and the official acknowledged that the scrutiny reaches into the company's engagement-based business model.
Evidence, response and potential fines
TikTok may now examine the Commission's case files and respond before the regulator reaches a final conclusion. If the findings are confirmed, the Commission can levy a fine of as much as 6% of the company's total worldwide annual turnover. CNBC reported that TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, risks such a penalty in 2027 unless it resolves the issue.
The Commission said it based its preliminary assessment on TikTok's risk-assessment reports, internal records and data, and answers to multiple requests for information. Investigators also examined extensive scientific research and interviewed specialists in recommender systems, psychology and psychiatry.
Ireland's Digital Service Coordinator, Coimisiún na Meán, assisted the investigation. While TikTok exercises its right to defend itself, the European Board for Digital Services will also be consulted.
Part of a longer TikTok investigation
The November 6 findings belong to formal DSA proceedings opened on February 19, 2024. That case has addressed several aspects of TikTok's operations, including addictive design and protections for minors.
In February, the EU told TikTok to change features it described as addictive. In July, it accused the platform of exposing children to cyberbullying and predatory behavior. The July 2026 preliminary findings also challenged settings that allowed videos posted by 16- and 17-year-olds to be recommended to any TikTok user through the For You feed. The Commission said TikTok should stop recommending minors' content to other users through that feed.
Two other strands concerned researchers' access to public data and advertising transparency. The Commission adopted preliminary findings on research access in October 2025; the advertising strand ended with binding commitments in December 2025.
Broader scrutiny of social platforms
The EU has expanded its child-protection efforts through DSA investigations into major platforms. In July, it also demanded changes to what it called the addictive design of Meta's Facebook and Instagram. A separate Commission investigation is examining rabbit hole effects from those platforms' recommendation systems.
Brussels also plans to require social media companies to make their platforms safe before children use them. The proposals would bar children under 13 from social media and allow only limited, supervised access until age 15.
TikTok and Meta face scrutiny beyond Europe, particularly through U.S. court claims concerning risks to young people. In September, TikTok avoided a trial by agreeing to pay Alabama at least $100 million and introduce time limits and other restrictions for teenage users.
