EU charges TikTok over failure to protect user mental health

The European Commission has formally charged TikTok with failing to protect the mental health of its users. According to the EU regulator, the Chinese-owned platform exposes individuals to a relentless stream of content that risks worsening anxiety and eating disorders. This preliminary ruling, issued on Friday, specifically addresses how the platform’s algorithm can be harmful by leading young and vulnerable users into content rabbit holes they find difficult to escape.

TikTok, which currently has 189 million users in the EU, was found to have failed in preventing the delivery of repetitive content regarding themes such as body image or isolation. Officials noted that while a single video might be legal, the cumulative effect of consuming many such clips could damage mental health. Investigations revealed that current safeguards against these effects are ineffective; for instance, selecting a “not interested” button on a video about eating patterns often results in the algorithm continuing to suggest similar diet-related content.

Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s lead official on tech policy, stated: “Every time a user scrolls or likes a video on TikTok, the algorithm serves more of the same leading users down rabbit holes they cannot easily escape from.” She added that the company needs to improve its efforts to protect user wellbeing, particularly regarding minors. The investigation specifically targets the platform's business model, which is designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible.

In response to the charges, a TikTok spokesperson said: “The commission has made a series of statements that are fundamentally inaccurate and distort our platform’s architecture and our commitment to user safety.” The company maintained that it has a strong record of protecting its community while providing intuitive control over content. TikTok highlighted that in the first six months of 2026, over 79 million users in the EU utilised keyword filters or “not interested” buttons to screen out unwanted material.

The Molly Rose Foundation, established in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell who died in 2017 after viewing harmful content, welcomed the findings. The charity, which recently reported that nearly half of girls and a third of all UK teenagers saw content related to self-harm or eating disorders within a week, has urged the UK regulator Ofcom to launch its own investigation. The foundation praised the move as a landmark effort to hold the platform accountable for how its algorithm impacts young people.

EU officials are now seeking changes to the design of the ForYou feed to offer users more control. A commission official explained that a business model primarily focused on engagement poses potential risks to minors and vulnerable adults. These findings form part of a broader inquiry launched in February 2024 under the Digital Services Act, which requires large internet firms to prevent various harms.

The commission has previously found the company in violation of EU rules regarding its “addictive design,” specifically mentioning features like infinite scroll. TikTok has previously labelled such findings as a “categorically false and entirely meritless depiction” of its platform. A separate issue regarding advertising transparency was resolved last December when the company made binding policy changes.

TikTok now has the opportunity to review the investigation file and prepare a defence. If the European Commission upholds its findings, the company could face a fine of up to 6% of its global worldwide turnover. Alternatively, the firm may choose to modify its recommender system to avoid such penalties.