The EU is opening an investigation into a simplified version of TikTok, TikTok Lite, which offers users to get paid for active interaction with the application.
EU regulators have expressed concern that the type of «task and reward» design used in the new app could affect the mental health of young users by encouraging addictive behaviour.
«We suspect that TikTok Lite may be as toxic and addictive as 'light cigarettes'. We will do everything we can to protect our children,» says EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
The commission has yet to confirm any breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA), but suggested it may impose interim measures to force parent company ByteDance to suspend TikTok Lite in the EU while it continues its investigation. The company has until April 24 to oppose these potential measures, so the app is still available to EU residents. However, ByteDance has not provided the EU with a risk assessment document on TikTok Lite following a request last week.
Such non-compliance with the DSA may result in severe penalties of up to 1% of total annual revenue and periodic penalties of up to 5% of daily revenue.
As NV Techno wrote, TikTok Lite launched earlier this month in France and Spain and allows users to earn points by watching videos and barking at them. These points can be exchanged for things like Amazon vouchers and TikTok's own digital currency, which is usually used to incentivize content creators.