Europe gives TikTok 24 hours to explain ‘addictive and toxic’ new app

TikTok is under scrutiny again, but this time from the European Commission as they ask for further information about risks following the launch of new app – TikTok Lite.

The European Commission has sent TikTok a request for information under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the company must provide the risk assessment for TikTok Lite in 24 hours.

Once the information has come back, the members will analyze the reply, and then assess the next steps.

What is TikTok Lite?

TikTok Lite allows users the chance to earn points through checking in, doing tasks, and watching videos. The points can be turned into rewards like Amazon vouchers, gift cards, or TikTok’s in-app currency.

It has had over five million downloads on the Google Play Store and is marked as being for the teenage market.

While the ‘Lite’ version has been around in Asia for years, it only just debuted in France and Spain in April which is how it then drew the attention of the European Commissioner for Internal Markets Thierry Breton.

The French politician took to the X platform to share his concerns as he likens the app to cigarettes and says the request for information has been sent.

Is social media “lite” as addictive and toxic as cigarettes “light”?

We have just sent a request for information regarding the launch of #TikTokLite.

We will spare no effort to protect minors under the #DSA. pic.twitter.com/3oC0Msm28J

— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) April 17, 2024

The DSA came into effect for ‘very large online platforms and online search engines’ on August 25 2023 and later became fully applicable to other entities on February 17, 2024.

The new act aims to bring about user empowerment, strong protection of minors, more diligent content moderation, less disinformation, and more transparency and accountability.

This new request for information comes just two months after the European Commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether TikTok may have breached the DSA.

The proceedings are looking at the protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and the risk management of addictive design and harmful content.

There hasn’t been an update since the announcement, but it’s expected the Commission is continuing to gather evidence to look further into its concerns.