The European Commission on Friday, Nov. 6, preliminarily found TikTok did not adequately assess and mitigate risks from its “For You” feed, a finding that could lead to a fine if upheld. The finding under the Digital Services Act (DSA) is not a final decision.
TikTok may inspect the investigation file and submit a written response. The Commission has not set a deadline for that response or a date for its final decision, and it will consult the European Board for Digital Services.
The Commission’s concern centers on how the platform selects videos. It says viewing time takes priority over users’ preferences, while signals such as views and likes help determine what appears in the feed. The regulator said TikTok’s existing steps to diversify recommendations and its “not interested” control may not be enough to change repeated recommendations.
The Commission said repeated engagement with videos about weight loss or body image may prompt more similar material. It warned that recurring exposure to content about sadness, anxiety, body dissatisfaction or isolation could harm well-being, particularly for minors and vulnerable adults.
The regulator proposed changes that would give more weight to users’ stated preferences, stop using viewing time as a recommendation signal, make controls easier to use and require regular testing of the algorithm. Its preliminary view draws on TikTok’s risk assessments, internal documents and data, the company’s replies to information requests, scientific research and expert interviews.
TikTok called the Commission’s statements “fundamentally inaccurate,” the Associated Press and CNA reported. Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said the DSA “makes platforms responsible for addressing the negative effects related to their recommender system.”
If the Commission confirms a breach, it may impose a fine based on the violation’s nature, gravity, recurrence and duration. The penalty could not exceed 6% of the provider’s total worldwide annual turnover.
The case is part of the Commission’s wider proceedings against TikTok under the DSA. The Commission issued separate preliminary findings in February 2026 on the platform’s addictive design and in July 2026 on its protections for minors.
