Tech platforms must drop addictive features that harm young people
ContextApr 18
European Commission Opens Proceedings Against TikTok
The Facts
The European Commission (EC) has opened a second probe against TikTok under the Digital Services Act (DSA), mandating the social media platform to provide proof of safety over its new "Task and Reward Program."
A feature of TikTok Lite available in France and Spain, Task and Reward provides users with monetary benefits for activities such as watching and liking content, following users, and inviting others to join the platform.
The Spin
Narrative A
Big Tech cannot be allowed to get away with producing intentionally addictive content with real implications for mental health. The DSA is only the beginning — lawmakers throughout the world must take further steps to ensure that users are protected from exploitative algorithms and harmful content.
Narrative B
The DSA is an egregious example of government overreach. While it's admirable that the EU is attempting to set rules that could provide some order to the internet, these powers are a pathway to infringe upon the free speech of Europeans, to censor content on social media platforms, and to further control the behavior of individuals.
Nerd narrative
There's a 27% chance that TikTok will be sold to a US entity before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.