The European Union has told TikTok to change its "addictive design" or risk heavy fines. The decision follows an investigation launched in February 2024 by the European Commission. The Commission found TikTok did not properly assess how features like autoplay harm user wellbeing, especially children. TikTok also failed to put enough safeguards in place. A TikTok spokesperson said the findings were a "categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform" and that TikTok plans to challenge them. The EU has invited TikTok to respond to its findings. If TikTok does not comply, the Commission could fine it up to 6% of its global annual turnover, which is worth tens of billions. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said TikTok must "change the design of their service in Europe" to avoid fines. The Commission suggested actions such as adding "screen time breaks" at night and changing algorithms that show personalized content. They also recommended disabling "infinite scroll," which lets users cycle endlessly through videos. Virkkunen said, "The Digital Services Act makes platforms responsible for the effects they can have on their users. In Europe, we enforce our legislation to protect our children and our citizens online." Social media analyst Paolo Pescatore called this a "reality check" for TikTok and a "warning shot" for all social media platforms. He added, "The market is shifting from 'maximise engagement' to 'engineer responsibility' - and regulators now have the tools to enforce it." Professor Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics noted that TikTok had introduced some safety tools but these were "not enough" to meet EU guidelines. She said, "Young people are calling for such changes. They are frustrated that the platform does not prioritise their wellbeing over profit."