The sunshine model of the TikTok app, which launched in two EU nations a few weeks in the past, included a reward function that paid customers a small quantity every day to have interaction with movies. European regulators launched an inquiry soon after, citing the function’s potential for encouraging habit — notably in younger folks. TikTok responded today by suspending the function within the EU whereas it addresses the investigation.
TikTok Lite is designed as a light-weight various to the principle TikTok app for simpler use on gradual web connections. It has been available in parts of Asia for years and became available in France and Spain earlier this month. Contained in the app is a rewards hub that pays users in “coins” for doing issues like logging in, watching advertisements, and liking movies. Cash might be redeemed for issues like Amazon vouchers and PayPal present playing cards. However you need to do an entire lot of partaking to make any important sum of money — an hour of watching movies solely earns about 36 euro cents (or 38 cents).
Citing the EU’s Digital Services Act, the fee took action, stating it had specific considerations in regards to the reward function’s probably “addictive impact” on kids. Speaking to Reuters, a TikTok spokesperson emphasised that the function isn’t out there to customers beneath 18, however the European Fee’s criticism means that TikTok’s age verification mechanisms is probably not robust sufficient to forestall children from signing up anyway.