A new TikTok service has been threatened with a ban by the European Union.
It declared that it thinks the new service might be “just as addictive as cigarettes.”
It demanded that the TikTok corporation provide “compelling” new proof that kids will be protected.
This would be the first instance that the EU has sanctioned social media corporations using its vast new powers.
In August 2023, the EU Digital Service Act (DSA) went into effect.
TikTok has until Wednesday to “bring arguments in its defence which the commission will carefully assess,” according to the EU commission, as reported by the Guardian UK.
The Chinese-owned video-sharing network TikTok Lite, which pays users to view clips, has “failed to prove” that it complies with act responsibilities, according to digital commissioner Thierry Breton, who called the service “toxic.”
If the corporation doesn’t adequately address authorities’ worries regarding the influence on users’ mental health, the reward system may be suspended throughout the bloc.
Breton stated that the business launched the app in France and Spain this month, despite the fact that the DSA was still investigating TikTok for additional concerns about kid safety.
Millions of kids in Europe use TikTok, he claimed, and the EU is “sparing no effort to protect them.”
Through “tasks” like watching videos, enjoying content, following producers, or inviting friends to join, users can earn points that can be redeemed for prizes like Amazon vouchers, PayPal gift cards, or TikTok Coins.
