European Commission Accuses TikTok of Insufficient Protection of Users' Mental Health

The European Commission has published preliminary findings of an investigation into TikTok, accusing the platform of insufficiently protecting users' mental health. According to the regulator's assessment, the recommendation algorithm may exacerbate anxiety and eating disorders by directing young and vulnerable users to repetitive content on appearance, diets, and social isolation.

The investigation revealed that existing safeguards against the so-called "rabbit hole" effect are not effective enough. For instance, even after pressing the "Not interested" button, users could still be shown similar materials about nutrition and body image. Refreshing the feed also only temporarily stopped the display of similar content. The European Commission emphasizes that it was not examining individual illegal posts, but the cumulative impact of a large amount of legal content on users' mental state.

The regulator intends to achieve changes in the For You feed's setup so that users have more control over recommendations. TikTok rejected the claims, calling the commission's findings inaccurate and distorting the platform's principles. The company stated that it prohibits content promoting eating disorders and dangerous weight control methods. According to its data, more than 79 million users in the EU used the "Not interested" feature or keyword filters in the first half of 2026.

The investigation was launched in February 2024 under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). TikTok can now review the investigation materials and present its defense. The company also has the right to modify its recommendation system to avoid a fine. If the European Commission confirms violations, the penalty could reach up to 6% of TikTok's global annual turnover.