EU says TikTok agrees to permanently remove 'TikTok Lite' rewards program

Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The European Commission announced on Monday that TikTok has agreed to permanently remove TikTok Lite Rewards in a binding commitment.

The commission said the program, which was originally launched in France and Spain, will be removed permanently and TikTok will not create another program to circumvent the decision. TikTok had paused the TikTok Lite program in April after inquiries by the commission.

This was the first case the commission closed under its Digital Services Act, meant to put guardrails on large tech companies to protect consumers in a variety of areas. It marks the first time it has accepted commitments made by a platform that it has opened an investigation into.

TikTok was required to submit a risk assessment report to the commission outlining its research on the risks that the rewards program may have, including negative effects on mental health, particularly among minors and developing addictive behaviors. TikTok had not and voluntarily paused the program.

"The safety and well-being of social media users need to be a number one priority," Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president for Europe Fit for the Digital Age, said in a statement. "Design features on platforms with addictive effects put the well-being of their users at risk.

"That's why we have made TikTok's commitment under the DSA legally binding. We will carefully monitor TikTok's compliance. Today's decision also sends a clear message to the entire social media industry."

TikTok Lite was a separate version of the platform on its app that debuted in France and Spain in April without the risk assessment report. The awards program allowed users to earn points while performing tasks on the platform like watching videos, liking content, following creators, and inviting friends to join TikTok.