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TikTok agrees to withdraw rewards feature after EU raised concerns about potential online addiction

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TikTok agrees to withdraw rewards feature after EU  raised concerns about potential online addiction
News

News

TikTok agrees to withdraw rewards feature after EU raised concerns about potential online addiction

2024-08-05 21:49 Last Updated At:21:51

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children, the European Union’s executive commission said Monday.

It was the first resolution of an investigation under the 27-country EU's sweeping Digital Services Act, which went into effect in February and aims to ensure a “safe and accountable online environment” by regulating large digital platforms.

TikTok made the commitment without conceding the feature violated the Digital Services Act, officials said.

The commission has however ruled that the withdrawal is legally binding, which “sends a clear message to the entire social media industry,” said Margrethe Vestager, European commission for digital affairs.

“Design features on platforms with addictive effects put the well-being of their users at risk,” she said in a statement. “That’s why we have made TikTok’s commitments under the DSA legally binding.”

The case involves TikTok Lite, a low-bandwidth version of the app released in Spain and France. It allowed users to earn points for things like following creators, liking content, or inviting friends to join TikTok. The points could be exchanged for Amazon vouchers and gift cards on PayPal. TikTok said rewards were restricted to users 18 years and older, who had to verify their age. Users could watch up to one hour a day of videos to earn rewards, which were capped at the equivalent of one euro ($1.09) a day.

The commission opened an investigation in April due to concerns that TikTok has not done a diligent assessment required under the act of the feature's potential “addictive effect,” especially for children, "given suspected absence of effective age verification mechanisms on TikTok."

The resolution of the TikTok Lite investigation does not affect an earlier probe launched against TikTok focusing on concerns about protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and mitigating risks of “behavioral addiction" and harmful content.

FILE - A TikTok sign is displayed on their building in Culver City, Calif., March 11, 2024. Officials from the European Union's executive commission said Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, that TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

FILE - A TikTok sign is displayed on their building in Culver City, Calif., March 11, 2024. Officials from the European Union's executive commission said Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, that TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Manchester City is on the brink of a humiliating Champions League exit after a stunning loss to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, and Real Madrid is no longer at risk after routing Salzburg.

Man City blew a two-goal lead in a high-stakes clash of super-wealthy underachievers that PSG won 4-2 in Paris yet still could be eliminated alongside the English champion after the final round of games next week.

Only the top 24 in the 36-team standings will advance and Man City, the 2023 champion, will kick off in 25th place needing to beat Club Brugge to squeeze into the knockout playoffs round. PSG, now in 22nd, will play at 24th-place Stuttgart.

Title-holder Madrid is safe, rising from 22nd place at kickoff Wednesday into 16th place after swatting aside Salzburg 5-1.

Arsenal and Inter Milan got expected wins to rise to third and fourth, respectively, though not sure yet to join Liverpool and Barcelona advancing direct to the round of 16.

Arsenal beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 and Inter won 1-0 at Sparta Prague.

Bayern Munich fell to a 3-0 defeat at Feyenoord and dropped to 15th in the mid-table morass of storied clubs — including Madrid and Juventus — who risk facing each other in the knockout playoff rounds in February.

Every qualification and elimination issue will be decided in a likely frenetic eighth and final round of games next Wednesday.

All 36 teams will be in action in 18 games kicking off at the same time with just the top 24 advancing to the knockout phase.

Man City looked to set to send PSG close to elimination by taking a two-goal lead early in the second half. Jack Grealish, a halftime substitute, scored in the 50th minute then set up Erling Haaland for a second four minutes later.

Within six remarkable minutes PSG was level, from goals by Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, and a stunning turnaround was completed in the 78th when Joao Neves headed the decisive goal. Goncalo Ramos added a fourth in stoppage time.

AC Milan quietly rose to sixth place with a 1-0 win against Girona at San Siro, and Celtic advanced by winning 1-0 against Young Boys, which lost a seventh straight game.

Sporting Lisbon risks elimination next week after losing 2-1 at Leipzig, which ended a six-game losing run, and Shakhtar Donetsk stayed in contention — just — with a 2-0 win against Brest, which will be in the knockout phase.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Goncalo Ramos celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Arsenal's Declan Rice scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's Declan Rice scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Manchester City's Jack Grealish scores his sides opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Manchester City's Jack Grealish scores his sides opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, 2nd left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, 2nd left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates stadium in London, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

PSG's Bradley Barcola, right, celebrates with Desire Doue after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Bradley Barcola, right, celebrates with Desire Doue after scoring his side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, celebrates with his teammate Kylian Mbappe after scoring his side's 4th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, celebrates with his teammate Kylian Mbappe after scoring his side's 4th goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Salzburg's Hendry Blank, left, and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe vie for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Salzburg's Hendry Blank, left, and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe vie for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and FC Salzburg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, and PSG's head coach Luis Enrique embrace each other at the end of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, and PSG's head coach Luis Enrique embrace each other at the end of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos, bottom left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Goncalo Ramos, bottom left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Sporting's Viktor Gyoekeres celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Sporting's Viktor Gyoekeres celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen, bottom right, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen, bottom right, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Shakhtar's Kevin, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Shakhtar's Kevin, right, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Shakhtar's Kevin scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Shakhtar's Kevin scores his side's first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Sporting's Viktor Gyoekeres scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Sporting's Viktor Gyoekeres scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko scores his side's opening goal during the Champions League soccer match between RB Leipzig and Sporting CP at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Shakhtar's Heorhiy Sudakov scores from the penalty spot during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Shakhtar's Heorhiy Sudakov scores from the penalty spot during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Brest's goalkeeper Marco Bizot fails to save a penalty kick taken by Shakhtar's Heorhiy Sudakov, left, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Brest's goalkeeper Marco Bizot fails to save a penalty kick taken by Shakhtar's Heorhiy Sudakov, left, during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Stade Brest at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

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