TikTok rolls out 'Lite' app that pays users for watching & liking content, prompting questions from EU regulators

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The European Union (EU) has raised concerns over a freshly-launched app from the video-sharing giant, TikTok. This new platform, known as TikTok Lite, compensates users for viewing videos, a feature that has drawn the attention of EU regulators.

 

TikTok Lite, which made its debut in France and Spain, offers users rewards for completing 'tasks’. These tasks range from watching videos and liking content to following creators or inviting friends to join TikTok. The rewards come in various forms, including Amazon vouchers, gift cards via PayPal, or TikTok’s Coins currency.

 

The EU’s intervention comes in the wake of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates tech companies to follow new rules on services offered to users. The DSA also requires the removal of illegal content. The European Commission has requested TikTok to provide a risk assessment of TikTok Lite, focusing on its potential impact on the protection of minors and the mental health of users.

 

The commission is particularly interested in the potential stimulation of addictive behavior. The request for further information does not prejudge potential further steps. However, the commission has warned that it has the power to impose fines for incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information.

 

The launch of TikTok Lite has also sparked a debate on the ethical implications of rewarding users for views. Will this new model of user engagement set a precedent in the digital world, or will it open a Pandora’s box of regulatory challenges? What are your thoughts on this matter?

 

 

Read more:

• https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-sends-request-information-tiktok-regarding-launch-tiktok-lite-france-and-spain
• https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/04/17/tiktok-questioned-over-its-lite-app-launched-in-france-and-spain
• https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-european-union-dsa-23ac03ab676b96b2597f76a5b0cfc39c
• https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-quizzed-by-eu-tiktok-lite-launch-france-spain-2024-04-17/

 

 

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