EU Commission finds TikTok feed breaches rules over harmful 'rabbit holes'

TikTok's 'For You' feed design can lead users into 'rabbit holes' breaching EU digital rules, the European Commission's preliminary findings have revealed.

The findings form part of an ongoing investigation into TikTok under the Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to address risks linked to their services. They follow earlier preliminary findings on addictive design in February 2026 and the protection of minors in July.

“Today's preliminary findings show again that TikTok needs to step up its efforts to protect users’ well-being, including those of minors,” Commission executive vice-president Henna Virkkunen said. It found that TikTok feeds users harmful streams of content about mental health and body image.

The latest findings focus on how TikTok’s ‘For You’ feed can lead users into ‘rabbit holes’, repeatedly showing similar videos even when the content could harm their mental health.

The Commission found that TikTok had failed to adequately assess those risks or take effective steps to reduce them. Its conclusions remain preliminary and TikTok can challenge them before a final decision.

The feed uses signals such as watching and liking videos to decide what to show next. When someone repeatedly watches content about weight loss or body image, the system treats that behaviour as an interest and recommends more of it.

According to the Commission, repeated exposure could increase sadness or anxiety, deepen body dissatisfaction, lower self-esteem or worsen existing eating disorders and mental health conditions. Minors and vulnerable adults face particular risks.

TikTok has introduced measures intended to limit these patterns, but the Commission found they did not work effectively. Efforts to offer a broader mix of videos did not sufficiently reduce repeated recommendations of similar content.

User controls also fell short. Selecting ‘not interested’ might not be enough to change the feed because the algorithm gives viewing time greater weight than a user’s request to see less of certain content.

The Commission considers that TikTok needs to change the design of the feed. It suggested giving more weight to users’ stated preferences, stopping the use of viewing time as a signal for recommendations, making controls easier to find and use and regularly testing the algorithm.

The findings draw on TikTok’s risk reports, internal data and documents, responses to requests for information, scientific research and interviews with experts in recommendation systems, psychology and psychiatry.

TikTok can now examine the Commission’s investigation files and reply in writing. The European Board for Digital Services will also be consulted.

If the findings are confirmed, the Commission could issue a non-compliance decision and impose a fine of up to 6% of TikTok’s total worldwide annual turnover. Any fine would depend on the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the breach.