EU tells TikTok it may need to change 'addictive design' features

The Facts

The European Commission issued preliminary findings on February 6, 2026, stating that TikTok has breached the Digital Services Act through design features the regulator describes as addictive. The Commission is demanding changes to the platform or ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, could face fines reaching up to 6% of its global annual turnover.

The investigation identified specific mechanisms that EU regulators say violate online safety rules. The infinite scroll feature: which automatically loads new content as users swipe: and algorithmic reward systems that continuously serve fresh videos were flagged as problematic. Regulators argue these features push users into what they call "autopilot mode," prioritizing sustained engagement over user wellbeing.

According to the Commission's assessment, TikTok failed to adequately evaluate how these design choices might affect users' physical and mental health. The preliminary ruling focuses on whether the platform has done enough to protect users, particularly younger audiences, from potentially harmful design patterns.

TikTok rejected the European Commission's findings immediately, calling them "categorically false and entirely meritless." The company stated it will challenge the preliminary assessment through available legal channels. Legal experts suggest the appeals process could extend beyond a year before reaching final resolution.

The Commission noted that TikTok's existing safeguards: including screen time limits and content warnings: are insufficient to address the concerns raised in the investigation. The regulators want more fundamental changes to how the platform operates.

Research from Amnesty International, cited in connection with the investigation, documented what researchers called "toxic rabbit hole effects" created by TikTok's hyper-personalized "For You" feed. In October 2025, Amnesty published findings showing that the platform continued to direct young people interested in mental health topics into content spirals featuring romanticized depictions of self-harm and suicide.

The Digital Services Act, which came into full effect in 2024, requires large online platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks their services pose to users. This is one of the first major enforcement actions under the new framework.

The Lens

Proverbs 4:23 instructs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." The question at the center of this regulatory action is not whether technology is inherently good or bad, but whether design choices honor human dignity and protect vulnerable minds: or whether they exploit psychological patterns for profit.

The debate involves legitimate tensions. On one side, child safety advocates and mental health professionals point to mounting evidence that algorithmic systems can create compulsive usage patterns, particularly among developing brains. They argue that platforms have a moral and legal responsibility to prioritize user welfare over engagement metrics.

On the other side, technology companies and free expression advocates raise concerns about government overreach into product design and the potential chilling effect on innovation. They warn that overly prescriptive regulations could stifle legitimate business models and limit user choice. Some argue that the responsibility for healthy technology use lies primarily with individuals and parents, not regulators.

Both perspectives contain elements worth considering. The pattern of designing for maximum engagement: sometimes called "persuasive design": is well-documented in the tech industry. Features like infinite scroll, push notifications, and variable reward schedules mirror techniques used in casinos and are known to trigger dopamine responses that encourage repeated use.

Yet heavy-handed regulation carries its own risks. Determining the line between a compelling user experience and an exploitative one involves subjective judgment. What one person experiences as addictive, another might view as simply enjoyable.

The biblical principle of stewardship applies here. Companies stewarding powerful technologies bear responsibility for how their products affect human flourishing. Regulators stewarding public welfare must exercise wisdom in crafting rules that protect without crushing innovation. Users must steward their own attention and that of children in their care.

Philippians 4:8 offers a filter: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable: if anything is excellent or praiseworthy: think about such things." This standard applies both to what we consume and what we create.

The Response

If you work in technology, ask whether your design choices serve human flourishing or merely maximize engagement. Consider the second and third-order effects of features you build. Are you creating tools that empower people, or traps that exploit psychological vulnerabilities? The answer matters more than quarterly metrics.

If you're a parent or educator, recognize that regulatory action alone won't solve the challenges of raising children in a digital age. Have honest conversations about how platforms work. Teach young people to recognize when they're being manipulated by design. Model healthy boundaries with technology yourself. Create phone-free spaces and times in your home.

If you're a user feeling the pull of compulsive scrolling, know that what you're experiencing isn't a personal failure: it's a designed outcome. You can make different choices. Set actual limits on your screen time, not just the ones the app suggests.

Delete apps that consistently pull you into patterns you don't want. Choose platforms and features intentionally rather than passively accepting default settings.

Regulators and policymakers face the challenge of protecting vulnerable users without stifling legitimate innovation. This requires humility, ongoing dialogue with multiple stakeholders, and willingness to adjust approaches as evidence develops. Wisdom here means avoiding both the extremes of unchecked corporate power and government micromanagement.

For all of us, Romans 12:2 offers guidance: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The "pattern of this world" increasingly includes algorithms designed to capture and hold attention at any cost. Renewal means reclaiming agency over what we allow into our minds and hearts.

The outcome of this European Commission case will set precedent for how democratic societies balance innovation, free expression, corporate responsibility, and user protection in the age of algorithmic platforms. The resolution won't be simple because the tensions are real.

What we can do now is practice discernment in our own lives, show grace to those struggling with technology overuse, and advocate for systems: whether through market pressure, regulation, or cultural change: that honor human dignity over engagement metrics.

God calls us to wisdom, not anxiety. To thoughtful action, not passive resignation. The question isn't whether technology will shape our lives: it will. The question is whether we'll participate consciously in determining how.

The Invitation

If you're navigating leadership questions around technology, digital wellness, or finding peace in complex cultural moments like these, Christ-centered coaching can offer clarity. Visit laynemcdonald.com to explore mentoring that grounds practical decisions in timeless wisdom.

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Source: The Guardian Research contributions: European Commission preliminary findings, Amnesty International reports