Europe gives TikTok 24 hours to explain 'addictive and toxic' new app
- Reference: 1713421752
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/04/18/tiktok_lite_eu_info_demand/
- Source link:
The app is called [1]TikTok Lite and offers the chance to "to complete challenging tasks and earn great rewards!"
Tasks include watching vids, liking content, or following other users. Rewards include Amazon vouchers, PayPal gift cards, or TikTok's in-app currency that can be used to tip other members.
[2]
The Google Play store rates the app as suitable for teens, and TikTok's description of the software emphasizes that it is a "smaller app" that requires "less data usage" – just the ticket for users with modest phones and download allowances.
[3]
[4]
TikTok Lite was launched years ago in Asia, but debuted in France and Spain this month – without much fanfare.
It soon drew the attention of European commissioner for internal markets Thierry Breton, who [5]asked "Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?"
[6]
Tell us what you really think next time, will you Thierry?
The commissioner also promised to "spare no effort to protect minors" using the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).
[7]Ex-White House CIO tells The Reg: TikTok ban may be diplomatic disaster
[8]Forget TikTok – Chinese spies want to steal IP by backdooring digital locks
[9]Trump, who tried kicking TikTok out of the US, says boo to latest ban effort
[10]Europe classifies three adult sites as worthy of its toughest internet regulations
That law was [11]used to compel TikTok to explain how it considered risks its Lite app poses,
The Commission wants to understand "the potential impact of the new 'Task and Reward Lite' program on the protection of minors, as well as on the mental health of users, in particular in relation to the potential stimulation of addictive behavior." Also on the to-do list handed to TikTok is information about the measures the service adopted to mitigate such systemic risks.
TikTok has reportedly said it will comply with the overnight deadline to provide its risk assessment of the Lite app, and the April 26 deadline for the other info outlined above. Which is sensible, given the DSA allows for colossal fines.
[12]
The debut of TikTok Lite adds to the app's European woes, which have already seen the EU [13]investigate whether the outfit is meeting its obligations to operate with transparency and to protect minors."
The made-in-China app is in even deeper trouble in the US, where a bill compelling its divestment to a non-Chinese entity passed the House of Representatives before stalling in the Senate – possibly to allow arrangements to be made that would not result in the app becoming unavailable stateside.
Elon Musk may just have complicated matters too, as is his wont. On Wednesday he [14]posted a poll asking if he should "Bring back Vine?"
Vine was a short video-sharing app run by Twitter that gathered 200 million users before the avian social network [15]closed it in 2016 – the same year TikTok came to America.
TikTok now has over one billion monthly users, and X – as Twitter is now known – has around half a billion, according to Musk. ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ss.android.ugc.tiktok.lite&hl=en&gl=US
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZiDvUF-iCBXwrmjWvGXzoQAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZiDvUF-iCBXwrmjWvGXzoQAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZiDvUF-iCBXwrmjWvGXzoQAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1780585191108423941
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZiDvUF-iCBXwrmjWvGXzoQAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/01/tiktok_ban_white_house/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/14/chinese_espionage_safe_locks/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/09/trump_who_tried_kicking_tiktok/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/21/europe_nsfw_vlops_sites/
[11] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_24_2103
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZiDvUF-iCBXwrmjWvGXzoQAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/20/eu_tiktok_investigation/
[14] https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1780666831310877100
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2016/10/27/vines_six_seconds_internet_fame_are_over/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
This is all very true but I'm concerned by the fact that nowadays we seem to expect other people (even governments and large corporations) to take responsibility for our mental health.
Looking after your own mental health is not only possible; it's primarily your own responsibility and it's probably your biggest responsibility.
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
Remember when cigarettes were advertised everywhere including TV, there were barely any health warnings, and you could smoke anywhere (public transport, offices included)? That's the stage we're at now with social media.
I think everyone can agree that we're better off now for governments imposting tougher smoking restrictions than we were then.
It's each individual person vs multinational corporations pushing their harmful products and it very often doesn't work out well for the little people. Shrugging and saying it's up to each individual's responsibility just lets corporations get away with it.
In this case TikTok Lite sounds like a simpler reduced version of the TikTok app, but it's actually more addictive and more harmful. Certain design patterns and tracking should be ruled as harmful and backed up by legal penalties if they are used in apps.
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
I think this is a very valid comparison and not one I have heard before (or perhaps was ready to listen to): I can really see the damage to my children's quality of life being caused by this addictive technology, and I think in a generation or 2's time almost everyone will look back with incredulity at how we as a society allowed a few tech unicorns to damage the mental health of almost the entire population.
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
Most actual smoking bans have been justified on the grounds of the harm done to non-smokers in the vicinity. The smokers themselves have just been targeted by warnings " this is stupid, but it's up to you". Until Sunak, of course.
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
That is because it's almost impossible to ban something that a large part of the population is addicted to or that is deeply socially integrated.
Ask yourself if either alcohol or tobacco didn't exist in the world but the risks were known, and you were starting to market and sell it today, how long do you think it would take to be banned for health reasons, or you being straight up locked up for trying to sell people addictive poison.
For a lot of social media today we can see there are harmful effects yet there have been virtually no regulation of them based on health.
I don't think we are at the point were some more stringent regulations are impossible to impose yet, but in another decade it may well be.
Re: Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
"If it's already got those of voting age hooked, how damaging is it to those who can't make informed judgements?"
A big assumption there...
Steve Wozniak quote
As Steve Wozniak is quoted as having said:
“When we started Apple, Steve Jobs and I talked about how we wanted to make blind people as equal and capable as sighted people, and you'd have to say we succeeded when you look at all the people walking down the sidewalk looking down at something in their hands and totally oblivious to everything around them!”
True, but...
My blind friend says that doesn't tell the full story as they use other senses to make up for the lack of sight.
Re: True, but...
My blind friend has just enough vision to see her smartphone 30cm in front of her which she uses to watch for obstacles further away using the camera.
So it's a lottery fueled/paid for by attention
time is money, and we want it all
Finally Euorpe united
including England, GB, UK, and Belarus .. one Europe
At least that is what the title suggests "Europe gives TikTok 24 hours to explain"
But seriously: how hard is it to write "EU gives TikTok 24 hours to explain"
"X – as Twitter is now known – has around half a billion, according to Musk."
More like half a billion bots
Yes, I was going to write take anything Musky says with a pinch of salt, well actually a mountain of salt would probably be more appropriate...
*cough* Robotaxis*cough...
There's not enough salt in all the oceans to put up against Musk's vacuous statements. But still the fanboys seem unable to see him for what he is.
Is social media 'lite' as addictive and toxic as cigarettes 'light'?
Yep. Probably more so.
I'm in Singapore right now, and had to walk through Shoppes (Yes, really) at Marina Bay Sands. As it was minutes after opening, all the purveyors of luxury tat had their employees stood like zombies staring into their iDevices. Literally, every single one. At least 30 of them.
If it's already got those of voting age hooked, how damaging is it to those who can't make informed judgements?