European Commission Threatens to Ban Tiktok Lite for Encouraging Addictive Behavior – Impact on Young Users and Risk Assessment Required

If Tiktok is addictive, Tiktok Lite certainly is. The app is for people over 18 and has a rewards program that allows users to earn points if they frequently watch videos and give their likes. They can exchange these points for rewards, such as vouchers from Amazon and gift vouchers through Paypal.

The Commission is concerned about the program. She asked Tiktok last week to get more information about the risk assessment that should be done, especially regarding the impact on the mental health of users. The Commission fears that the program could encourage addictive behaviour.

However, Tiktok has not provided that risk assessment. The Commission has now given the company time to do this again until Tuesday, April 23. Failure to do so is fined up to 1 percent of Tiktok’s annual global revenue.

But the Commission does not stop there: until Tiktok Lite’s security is thoroughly assessed, it wants to take the program offline. Before doing this effectively, Tiktok can still put forward arguments to defend itself, it has until April 24 to do so. As a major online platform, with at least 45 million users, Tiktok is under the direct supervision of the Commission. He has always said that he would not hesitate to enforce the law and take sanctions if necessary.