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Оксана СтепураHot News
7 November 2026, 12:34
2026-11-07
The European Commission has called on TikTok to change its recommendation algorithm due to mental health risks. How does it drag users down rabbit holes?
The European Commission has previously found that TikTok's recommendation algorithm may violate the European Digital Services Act. This is due to the so-called "rabbit hole effect", which causes users to get stuck in an endless stream of similar videos that can be harmful to their mental health. Therefore, the European Commission is proposing to change TikTok's algorithms.
The European Commission has previously found that TikTok's recommendation algorithm may violate the European Digital Services Act. This is due to the so-called "rabbit hole effect", which causes users to get stuck in an endless stream of similar videos that can be harmful to their mental health. Therefore, the European Commission is proposing to change TikTok's algorithms.
If a user has watched several videos on a certain topic, such as weight loss or body dissatisfaction, TikTok’s algorithm interprets this as interest in the topic and starts suggesting more and more similar videos. This can lead to a bubble where a user is constantly shown content on the same topic, even if it evokes negative emotions.
The European Commission believes that such a mechanism can increase anxiety, feelings of loneliness, dissatisfaction with one's own appearance and worsen existing psychological problems. Children and adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to this.
TikTok already has tools that allow users to influence recommendations. For example, you can click “Not interesting” to see fewer similar videos. But according to preliminary findings by the European Commission, this is not enough. After all, the algorithm gives more importance to how long a person watches a video than to their direct request to show less of a certain content. So it can continue to show many videos on similar topics.
The European Commission believes that the platform needs to review the very principle of the "For You" feed. In particular, it proposes:
Stop using video watch time as a signal for recommendations.
Listen more to the user's explicitly stated preferences.
Make recommendations settings easier and more accessible.
Regularly check whether the algorithm is dragging people into harmful information bubbles.
If the violations are ultimately confirmed, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its annual global turnover.
Previously, dev.ua wrote that in February 2026, the European Commission accused TikTok of using an addictive design. At that time, the claims concerned endless scrolling of the feed, automatic video playback, and notifications that encourage users to return to the application.
Як завантажити відео з TikTok без водяного знака: три найпростіші способи
Якщо ви користуєтеся TikTok, то знаєте — зберегти відео легко, але в кутку буде назва застосунку й ім’я його творця. Зазвичай це не є перепоною, проте з різних причин можна зіткнутися з необхідністю завантажити ролик без водяного знака. Наприклад, ви створили власне відео в застосунку і хочете зберегти його без логотипа, а такої можливості немає. Утім, способів обійти цю проблему чимало.
