EU Commission Signals Potential DSA Breach Over TikTok's Addictive Design

• Published date: 13 February 2026
• Law Firm: Logan & Partners
• Author: Isadora Werneck

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings indicating that TikTok may be in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the platform's addictive design features. The investigation focuses on features the Commission considers potentially addictive, including infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and the platform's highly personalised recommender system, and whether TikTok assessed and mitigated the risks these features pose to users.

While the findings are not final, they signal a growing regulatory emphasis on platform design choices and their impact on user wellbeing, particularly for minors and vulnerable individuals.

Background: the DSA

The DSA establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework aimed at ensuring a safer and more transparent online environment across the European Union. Among its core objectives are: reducing systemic risks arising from the design and functioning of online platforms, protecting users' fundamental rights, and imposing heightened obligations on "very large online platforms", which includes TikTok.

Under the DSA, very large online platforms are required to identify, analyse and mitigate...