In a recent development, TikTok has agreed to remove a rewards feature that had raised concerns regarding its potential to promote excessive screen time, particularly among children, as announced by the European Union's executive commission. This decision marks the first resolution of an investigation under the EU's Digital Services Act, which came into effect in February with the aim of ensuring a safe and accountable online environment by regulating major digital platforms.
Although TikTok made the commitment to withdraw the feature, it did not admit that the feature violated the Digital Services Act, according to officials. However, the commission has deemed the withdrawal to be legally binding, sending a strong message to the entire social media industry, as stated by Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission for Digital Affairs.
