The popular short video service TikTok continues to undergo major changes in the European Union. The platform is said to have time to rebuild before August 28 to comply with the new Digital Services Act (DSA). The most notable change that users of the service will face is that they will be able to decide for themselves whether to allow the platform’s algorithms to manage the “For You” recommendations section.
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“Soon, users in the region will be able to turn off personalization. When they do, their recommendation section will be populated with popular videos in their region and around the world, not content tailored to them.”says the TikTok post.
Users who choose not to use recommendation algorithms will see popular videos on the topics they care about in their search results, as well as content in their preferred language. However, they can still use the Friends and Followers sections to view content posted by the users they follow. However, the videos are now sorted in chronological order in each of the said tabs rather than by level of interest.
According to DSA “Owner of large online platforms”which includes TikTok, needs to make sure people can “Use alternatives that are not based on profiling” within the platform’s recommendation systems. This means that platforms should offer users the possibility to offer content that does not involve the use of their personal data in the selection process.
Additionally, TikTok is introducing a new content reporting option for European users. With its help, users of the service can mark content that, in their opinion, should not be allowed on the platform. Such content is not only processed by algorithms, but also by moderators who check the videos for compliance with the rules of the platform and the laws applicable in the region. The service also provides more detailed information about its content moderation decisions.
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