“Tik Tok Lite”… a new service that raises fears of “addictive” behavior among young people
The new application TikTok Lite is raising concerns in the European Union and France, as they fear that the principle on which it is based could encourage addictive behavior among young people, as it rewards users users who spend a certain number of minutes per day watching video clips with virtual. coins they can exchange for a card to buy gifts.
According to a report published by Agence France-Presse, the European Commission, yesterday (Wednesday), asked TikTok to provide it with clarification within 24 hours about the risks associated with publishing the application new in France and Spain.
This official request comes within the framework of the new European legislation on digital services (DSA), and it concerns “the potential impact of the new awards program on the protection minors and the mental health of users,” especially “the possible motivation. of addictive behavior,” according to the European Commission.
The TikTok Lite application, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, was launched without much fanfare at the end of March, and will reward users with virtual coins if they log in every day for ten days, and if they spend time watching video clips (A maximum of 60 to 85 minutes per day), and also if they do certain things, including, for example, being on video clips and following content creators.
These virtual coins can then be exchanged for gift cards on partner sites, such as Amazon.
The professor of information and communication sciences at the University of Lorraine in eastern France says that the principle of transforming platforms into something like “games” is “a well-known phenomenon, and a problem in ‘ creating a state of dependence. “
The social network has repeatedly said that only people aged 18 or older can collect virtual currency, and that it applies procedures to verify the age of users.
TikTok told the group, “Authentication procedures include taking a personal photo with an ID card, taking personal video clips, or authorization on a bank card, which is necessary to convert virtual currencies to shopping vouchers. “
“hypocrisy”
But the company is having trouble convincing users with its new service.
Cordier explains that it is “the height of hypocrisy”, because they “know very well that it will be possible to get around (the verification rules).
“It’s very difficult to determine age,” said Maria Mercante Guerin, a lecturer in digital marketing at the Institute of Business Administration in Paris. “You can always take your parents’ bank card with you.”
The French Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, Marina Ferrari, said yesterday that the European Commission’s request for information “is moving in the right direction.” ” She had expressed her “concern” after the release of “Tik Tok Lite”.
The ministry is examining “with the greatest interest in terms of user interface mechanisms” the application, which it describes as a “suspicious trend,” at a time when France has begun “a ‘ think about screen time,” that is, the amount of time users spend using it. , especially young people, spend in front of the screen, according to the minister.
“Tik Tok”, which focuses mainly on dance or music videos, has succeeded in attracting more than 1.5 billion users worldwide, but it has been accused for years in the United States and Europe to attract the attention of young people by focusing on the content described. as a cream.
TikTok confirmed that it is in direct contact with the European Commission regarding “TikTok Lite” and that it intends to provide an answer. It is the subject of an investigation launched by the commission in February, due to an alleged failure to protect minors under the Digital Services Act.
This raises doubts about the timing of this publication, which seems to be a “provocation,” according to Maria Mercante Guerin.
interaction
TikTok will primarily try to attract new users and combat the stagnation in user growth in Europe, according to the American website The Information, which was able to access an internal document. of the company.
In Europe, the application is only available on 13 percent of Android devices, compared to 37 percent for Instagram and 59 percent for Facebook, according to the same source.
“The social network that never grows dies,” says Maria Mercante Guerin.
Through the new reward system, TikTok also tries to improve user interaction, which is essential in this sector.
Mercanti Guerin says that “their advertising credibility is at stake, because brands do not invest in networks with low engagement rates. “
She says that “Tik Tok Lite will work to increase this interaction almost freely,” noting that the social network is already performing well in this area.
But the level of interaction is decreasing on social media, according to the expert, who pointed out that this interaction starts very strong, and then ends with stagnation.
