Social media giant Tiktok has voluntarily suspended its reward program on the Tiktok Lite app in France and Spain, following concerns raised by the EU Commission. The suspension comes as Tiktok faces scrutiny from the EU Commission over issues such as the spread of illegal content, online disinformation, and other social risks.
The Tiktok Lite app’s rewards program was aimed at users over 18 years old, who could earn points by completing tasks such as watching videos, liking content, or following other users. These points could be exchanged for rewards such as Amazon discount coupons or Tiktok virtual coins. However, the EU Commission had raised concerns about the impact of this program on users’ mental health and addiction to the platform.
Tiktok did not meet a deadline to provide information on how they had assessed potential risks related to the rewards program. This led to an official investigation under the Digital Services Act, which is a second official procedure against Tiktok under this legislation. Failure to comply with this act can result in fines of up to six percent of a company’s global turnover.
As part of their commitment to working constructively with regulatory authorities, Tiktok has decided to suspend its reward program on the Tiktok Lite app in France and Spain while it addresses these concerns. The company has stated that it will continue to work towards ensuring compliance with regulations and addressing any potential risks associated with its services.