EU: Thierry Breton Announces Permanent Cancellation of TikTok Lite Rewards Program
After four months of negotiations with the European Commission, ByteDance has made a decision regarding the lighter version of its flagship app, TikTok Lite. What was the final outcome of these discussions?
ByteDance Bows to European Pressure
On August 5, Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, announced that Chinese giant ByteDance has agreed to dismantle a controversial feature in TikTok Lite across the European Union, which rewarded users for screen time.
A Feature That Sparked Outrage
Launched in France in April, the feature which offered points redeemable for Amazon or PayPal vouchers incited a strong controversy. Following demands for clarification and threats of fines, the European Commission temporarily suspended this system on April 24.
The Impact of the Digital Services Act
Thierry Breton credited the victory to the Digital Services Act (DSA), a European regulation effective from August 25, 2023, empowering the EU to regulate digital companies. “The available brain time of young Europeans is not a bargaining chip for social networks,” Breton stated.
Arcom Supports the Decision
The French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) endorsed the decision, describing it as a result of “productive collaboration” between the European Commission and its partners.
Arcom affirmed its support for Brussels in its investigations into TikTok Lite, working alongside the Spanish competition authority.