In a significant development for social media regulation in Europe, TikTok has agreed to permanently withdraw its controversial TikTok Lite rewards program from the European Union. This decision comes after an investigation by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act (DSA), addressing concerns about the feature’s potential to encourage addictive behavior among young users.
TikTok Lite, a lower-bandwidth version of the popular video-sharing app, had introduced a “task and reward” mechanism in France and Spain earlier this year. The feature allowed users to earn points by engaging in various in-app activities such as watching and liking videos, which could then be exchanged for Amazon vouchers.
The European Commission launched a probe into the rewards feature in April, expressing worries that it might negatively impact the mental health of young users by “stimulating addictive behavior.” In response to the investigation, TikTok had temporarily suspended the mechanism in the EU.
Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, emphasized the importance of this outcome, stating, “The available brain time of young Europeans is not a currency for social media — and it never will be.” He added that the DSA is now “in full swing,” highlighting the regulation’s growing influence on tech companies operating in the EU.
While TikTok has avoided formal sanctions in this case, the settlement includes a commitment from the company to not circumvent the agreement by launching similar features under different names. The European Commission retains the power to impose significant fines of up to 6% of TikTok’s global annual turnover if the company fails to comply with its commitments.
This resolution marks a swift victory for the DSA, which aims to create a safer digital space for EU citizens. However, it’s worth noting that a broader investigation into TikTok’s main app, announced in February, is still ongoing. That probe focuses on concerns about the app’s algorithm, age verification measures, and compliance with DSA transparency requirements.
As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, this case serves as a reminder of the increasing scrutiny faced by social media platforms in Europe and the potential for quick, impactful changes under the new digital regulations.
