EU questions TikTok over new Lite app in France, Spain

EU questions TikTok over new Lite app in France, Spain

TikTok launched its new rewards Lite app in France and Spain this month
TikTok launched its new rewards Lite app in France and Spain this month. Photo: JOEL SAGET / AFP/File
Source: AFP

The EU gave TikTok 24 hours to provide a risk assessment on its new Lite app launched in France and Spain over concerns of its potential impact on children and users' mental health, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

The new rewards app TikTok Lite arrived in the two countries this month and allows users aged 18 and over to earn points that can be exchanged for goods like vouchers or gift cards.

The commission said TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, should have carried out the risk assessment before deploying the app and now wants "more details".

The demand "concerns the potential impact of the new 'Task and Reward Lite' programme on the protection of minors, as well as on the mental health of users, in particular in relation to the potential stimulation of addictive behaviour", it said.

Read also

EU must act quickly to catch up to US, warns report author

The commission said in a statement it also wants to know what measures the platform has put in place to mitigate the risks identified.

The request for information was made under a new content moderation law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which has stringent rules for 22 of the world's biggest online platforms including TikTok.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

The demand is a first step in a procedure and does not mean TikTok will face further action. That would depend on what information the company gives to the EU.

Alongside the 24-hour deadline for the risk assessment, TikTok must provide the other information by April 26, the commission said.

The company said it would honour the request.

"We have already been in direct contact with the commission regarding this product and will respond to the request for information," a TikTok spokesperson said.

Read also

Apple CEO meets Indonesia leader to talk investments

This is not the first time TikTok is in the European Union's crosshairs.

Brussels in February opened a formal probe under the DSA into TikTok over alleged breaches of its obligations to protect minors online.

Its focus is especially on whether the company is doing enough to address negative impacts on young people.

The commission has made similar requests for information from TikTok over other issues including the risks to upcoming EU elections in June from artificial intelligence.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.