KUALA LUMPUR – TikTok has 24 hours to provide the European Commission a risk assessment on the potential impact on children and users’ mental health with the launch of its new Lite app in France and Spain.
With TikTok Lite, users aged 18 and over can earn points and use them to exchange for vouchers and gift cards.
“This 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,” the commission said in a statement.
The assessment should also include the measures TikTok has in place to mitigate the risks.
In response, TikTok said it would comply with the commission’s 24-hour request as well as provide other information by April 26.
“We have already been in direct contact with the commission regarding this product and will respond to the request for information,” a TikTok spokesperson told AFP.
In March, the commission initiated inquiries into the measures undertaken by TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, Google, YouTube, Snapchat and Bing to mitigate the risks associated with artificial intelligence, particularly concerning its potential to manipulate elections through techniques like deepfakes.
This move follows the recent adoption of the Artificial Intelligence Act by the European Parliament, which aims to ensure the safety, compliance with fundamental rights and innovation of AI technologies. – April 17, 2024