EU seeks changes to TikTok’s For You recommendation feed

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings that TikTok failed to adequately assess risks from its For You recommendation feed, and called for changes to how it selects videos. The Commission said the system can repeatedly recommend similar content, potentially exposing users to harmful patterns, including videos about sadness, isolation and body image. The findings concern TikTok’s compliance with the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which requires large online platforms to address risks on their services. They are not a final ruling. TikTok will have an opportunity to review and respond before the Commission decides whether the company breached the law. The Commission said TikTok did not properly evaluate how its recommendation system could affect users’ wellbeing or establish adequate safeguards. Its preliminary assessment also found that existing controls, including a “not interested” button, do not sufficiently prevent similar videos from continuing to appear. The regulator wants TikTok to give users’ explicit preferences more weight, rely less on viewing time when recommending videos, and make safety controls easier to find and use. The Commission’s...