The European Union has ordered TikTok to modify its "addictive design" or face substantial fines, following an investigation that found the video-sharing platform in breach of online safety regulations. The EU's preliminary findings, released on Friday, revealed concerns about features like autoplay and personalized recommendation algorithms, which the Commission believes do not adequately address the potential harm to users, including children.
The investigation, which began in February 2024, focused on how TikTok's design might encourage compulsive use among minors. According to the European Commission, the platform failed to implement sufficient measures to mitigate these risks. The EU's warning comes as the platform's parent company, Google, revealed that YouTube generated over $60 billion in revenue in 2025, surpassing streaming rival Netflix's $45 billion.
A TikTok spokesperson, however, refuted the findings, calling them a "categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform." The company plans to challenge the EU's conclusions. The EU's concerns center on features like infinite scroll, push notifications, and autoplay, which the Commission believes contribute to addictive behavior.
In other news, a US court ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman who claimed she was raped by a driver. The jury found Uber responsible for the driver's actions in the Arizona case. Uber intends to appeal the verdict. The plaintiff, Jaylynn Dean, said she was sexually assaulted in the car while taking an Uber.
Meanwhile, a controversial US-funded vaccine trial for newborns in Guinea-Bissau was halted due to public outcry. Danish researchers had planned to assess the effects of administering hepatitis B vaccines at different times on 14,000 babies. The study aimed to compare the effects of administering the vaccine at birth versus six weeks later.
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