European Union regulators have reached out to TikTok for information regarding a new app that rewards users for watching videos. The app in question, TikTok Lite, has been quietly introduced in France and Spain, prompting the European Commission to request details from the popular video-sharing platform.
The commission is particularly interested in the risk assessment that TikTok should have conducted before launching the app in the European Union. This move comes in line with the Digital Services Act, a comprehensive law aimed at regulating social media platforms and ensuring user safety.
TikTok Lite, a streamlined version of the main TikTok app, offers users the opportunity to earn rewards by engaging with content. Users can accumulate points by watching videos, liking posts, and following creators, which can then be exchanged for rewards such as Amazon vouchers and PayPal gift cards.
Notably, the rewards system is limited to users aged 18 and above, who are required to verify their age. Users can earn rewards by watching up to one hour of videos per day, with a daily cap set at one euro ($1.06).
The European Commission has given TikTok a deadline of 24 hours to provide the requested risk assessment. In addition to assessing the app's impact on the protection of minors, the commission is also interested in understanding its potential effects on users' mental health, particularly in relation to addictive behavior.
TikTok has until April 26 to furnish further information on the measures it has implemented to address these concerns and mitigate any systemic risks associated with the app.
