TikTok is targeted by the European Union due to its new application TikTok Lite

The European Union (EU) has launched a second official investigation into TikTok. The EU accuses the platform of violating the region's Digital Services Act (DSA). According to TechCrunch, the TikTok Lite application is at the center of the investigation. The claim that the application, which takes up less space on the smartphone and is designed to perform on slower internet connections, is “addictive” is being examined. It is worth noting that the application can also be downloaded from Turkey.

The Lite version of TikTok was released in France and Spain earlier this month. This application allows users to earn points by watching and liking videos. These points can be exchanged for things like Amazon coupons and TikTok's proprietary digital currency, which is often used to tip creators. The European Union is concerned that such “task and reward” design language could affect the mental health of young users by “encouraging addictive behavior.”

The commission has yet to confirm any breaches of the DSA but has suggested it may introduce interim measures to force parent company ByteDance to suspend TikTok Lite in the EU while the investigation continues. The company has until April 24 to oppose these potential measures, so Europeans can still download the app. It is also worth noting that ByteDance did not submit the risk assessment document requested by the EU last week.

Failure to comply with the DSA may subject the company to penalties as high as one percent of its total annual revenue and periodic penalties of up to five percent of its daily revenue. The commission did not say whether it plans to impose these penalties while the investigation is ongoing.

European Union Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said: “We suspect that TikTok Lite may be as toxic and addictive as light cigarettes. “We will spare no effort to protect our children.”

ByteDance was also the target of the European Union before the TikTok Lite investigation

ByteDance has not yet responded to the investigation and the possibility of its TikTok Lite app being banned in the EU. This latest investigation follows a more comprehensive investigation launched in February. This comprehensive research; It focuses on addictive algorithms, age verification issues, default privacy settings, and ad transparency.