The European Union has ordered TikTok to modify its "addictive design" or face significant financial penalties, following an investigation into the video-sharing platform's adherence to online safety regulations. The EU's findings, announced in February 2024, revealed that TikTok had not adequately assessed how features like autoplay could harm users, including children, and failed to implement sufficient measures to mitigate these risks, according to BBC Technology.
The investigation, initiated by the European Commission, highlighted concerns about TikTok's design choices. A TikTok spokesperson, however, refuted the findings, calling them a "categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform," and stated the company planned to challenge the decision, as reported by BBC Technology. The EU's move underscores growing concerns about the impact of social media platforms on user well-being, particularly among younger audiences.
In other news, Japan's ruling conservative party was projected to secure a landslide victory in Sunday's lower house elections, according to exit polls. The Liberal Democratic party (LDP) was expected to win between 274 and 328 seats out of a total of 465, according to an exit poll by the public broadcaster NHK, as reported by The Guardian. The election took place amidst blizzards and freezing conditions.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, a US oil blockade has exacerbated an existing economic crisis, leading to severe energy shortages and impacting daily life. The government has been forced to ration fuel and implement extended electricity cuts, paralyzing the communist-ruled island nation of 11 million, according to Al Jazeera. President Miguel Diaz-Canel has insisted Cuba is prepared to hold dialogue with the US but not under pressure.
Also, protests erupted in Milan during the Winter Olympics, with thousands marching to condemn Israel's participation, the presence of ICE agents with the US delegation, and the event's environmental and social impact, as reported by Al Jazeera. Milan police responded to the protests with tear gas and water cannons.
Finally, the UK is witnessing a surge in US-style fried chicken shops, driven by a youth-led trend popularized on platforms like TikTok. This trend is transforming the British High Street, with chicken shops opening at a faster rate than other fast-food outlets, according to BBC Business. "I try to be healthy," said 19-year-old nursing student Sumayyah Zara Sillah, "But I like it so much," highlighting the appeal of the trend.
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