Withdrawal of the TikTok Lite program in the European Union: Arcom welcomes the implementation of the regulation on digital services for the protection of persons under 18 online

In early April, TikTok launched TikTok Lite in France and Spain, a new feature that encourages users to spend more and more time on the platform viewing videos by rewarding them with virtual currency convertible into gift cards.

Following the opening of an investigation by the European Commission into a possible failure to comply with the provisions of the Digital Services Regulation, in particular the requirement to carry out impact studies prior to launching a service, and the obligation to protect minors online, TikTok has announced a provisional suspension of this feature in France and Spain.

At the same time, the European Commission continued its investigations with the support of the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication (Arcom), and the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), to benefit from a substantiated analysis of the risks associated with the introduction of TikTok Lite in France and Spain. In drawing up its analysis, Arcom, as "coordinator for digital services" [1] for France, drew on the observations of its public partners and the expertise of social networking specialists.

In view of the concerns expressed, and in order to put an end to the European Commission's proceedings, TikTok has decided today to revoke the TikTok Lite program in all European Union member states, and to refrain from deploying any new similar services. These commitments have been made within the legal framework of the regulation for digital services. They are therefore legally enforceable, and any failure to respect them could be sanctioned by the European Commission as a breach of the provisions of the regulation.

The European Commission has now accepted these commitments and put an end to its proceedings for possible non-compliance. Together with all the coordinators for digital services, including Arcom for France, it will ensure that TikTok complies with its commitments.

This definitive withdrawal of a feature that led to an increased risk of dependency, particularly for persons under 18, bears witness to the ability of the European Commission and national regulators to require digital players to behave more responsibly, including by modifying the functionalities of their services.

Arcom welcomes this fruitful collaboration with the European Commission and all its European and national partners in the implementation of the Digital Services Regulation.

[1] To ensure consistent implementation of the DSR at national level, each EU country has appointed an independent authority to act as "coordinator for digital services". In France, the law to secure and regulate the digital space of May 21, 2024 entrusted this role to Arcom. In Spain, this role is entrusted to the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC).