(TO UPDATE)
The new ByteDance platform, TikTok Lite, could be suspended this Thursday in Spain and France. After we learned a few days ago that the European Commission (EC) has opened an investigation against the company to check whether it is complying with its obligations of transparency and protection of minors who use this new app with which young people being paid to watch videos is the The European regulator is going one step further and has opened a new sanctions procedure against TikTok in view of the social network has failed to comply Digital Services Act (DSA) with the launch of Lite in Spain and France.
Brussels has asked TikTok to provide the risk analysis it had to provide before launching the service. Otherwise, TikTok Lite will be suspended starting this Thursday.
«We believe Tiktok Lite can be that as toxic and addictive as light cigarettes«, has stated Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market. «We have opened a new non-compliance file against TikTok for failing to analyze, evaluate and mitigate the impact of the TikTok Lite Rewards Program on the physical and mental well-being of its users, particularly minors.«Breton explained.
Brussels recently asked Further details on risk assessment that the TikTok provider should have carried out before deploying the new TikTok Lite application in the EU, citing the possible impact of the new “Task and Reward Lite” program on child protectionas well as on the mental health of users, particularly with regard to the possible stimulation of addictive behavior. Also the Commission requested information on the measures the platform has taken to mitigate these systemic risks.
First, the commission gave TikTok 24 hours to facilitate risk assessment of TikTok Lite and no later than April 26 to provide the other requested information. Now, after this second formal procedure, the social network until May 3 to answer further questions about the measures taken to protect minors and the mental health of usersparticularly with regard to the possible stimulation of addictive behavior.
TikTok Lite is currently available in Spain and France. It is a new app with a new functionality aimed at users over 18: the “Rewards Program”, which allows users to earn points while performing certain “tasks” on TikTok, such as Watch videos, follow creators or invite friends to join TikTok, among other things. These points can be exchanged for rewards such as Amazon vouchers, gift cards through PayPal, or TikTok Coins that can be spent on tips.
The app is now available for download in the Apple App Store and Android Google Play. Months after its implementation in Japan and South Korea, it has now entered the testing phase in Europe. Specifically to Spain and France, as the specialist media The Information reported a few days ago. This medium noted that TikTok Lite was launched as a free service, known internally as Coin App (translated as “currency application”), which offers users financial incentives to watch and interact with videos on TikTok.
This is how TikTok Lite works
According to a document accessed by the aforementioned media, when you open the app and log in with an existing account, you will see the so-called Rewards Center, which displays the steps that users must take to start earning points. For example, if you log in ten days in a row you will receive 3,000 points If you like three videos on the platform, you will receive up to 80 points.
For his part, When you invite a new friend to TikTok Lite, you can also earn points (in this case, up to 90,000).and follow other creators. The Chinese company awards 80 points just for following three of them to its users. The new platform also has a section that reflects each account’s balance, which can be exchanged for gift cards for platforms like Amazon or through PayPal. It also opens up the possibility of rewarding creators in the social network.
This TikTok extension differs from the main application by its logo, as it introduces the graphic of a small white lightning bolt located in the upper left part of the image.
Last February, The Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok to examine whether TikTok may have breached the DSAn Areas related to parental protection, advertising transparency, access to data for researchers, and risk management of addictive design and harmful content. The European Commission is now gathering further evidence.