EU to investigate TikTok’s ‘addictive’ reward feature

The European Commission is investigating TikTok over a feature launched in France and Spain that gives users the ability to earn points for completing certain tasks on the app, the commission said on Monday.

The investigation will look into whether the “addictive” features of TikTok’s “TikTok lite” program violated European Union Digital Services Act (DSA) regulations, which include protections for minors online, the commission announced.

The investigation will focus on TikTok’s compliance with the regulations – which came into force in February – through its “Task and Reward Lite” program, and the steps the company has taken to mitigate the risks the program poses regarding impact in the mental health of minors.

The investigation into the rewards program is the second investigation into TikTok’s compliance with the DSA since February.

The program, which allows users to earn points for tasks such as watching videos, liking content, following creators and inviting friends to join the application, was launched “without prior and diligent assessment of the risks it entails” and “without effective risk mitigation measures risks,” according to the commission.

The formal procedure was opened after the commission sent TikTok a formal request for information about the launch of the program in Spain and France last week. TikTok did not respond to the risk assessment report and other information requested last week within the 24-hour time frame provided by the commission, according to the announcement.

The commission gave the company a new deadline to submit the risk assessment report to the commission by Wednesday and May 3 for additional requested information.

TikTok faces hefty fines if it doesn’t respond within the window.

If TikTok does not respond to the request for information within the deadline, the commission said it may impose a fine of up to 1% of TikTok’s total annual revenue or worldwide revenue and period penalties of up to 5% of average daily income or revenue TikTok world.

The Hill has reached out to a TikTok spokesperson for comment.