紐時賞析／TikTok誘人上癮 歐盟強化監管

Europe Accuses TikTok of ‘Addictive Design’ and Seeks Changes

TikTok誘人上癮 歐盟強化監管

TikTok’s endless scroll of irresistible content, tailored for each person’s tastes by a well-honed algorithm, has helped the service become one of the world’s most popular apps.

TikTok透過精準調校的演算法，依照每位用戶的偏好推送源源不絕、令人無法抗拒的內容，「無限滾動」的設計讓該平台成為全球最受歡迎的應用程式之一。

Now European Union regulators say those same features that made TikTok so successful are likely illegal.

但歐盟監管機構如今指出，這些讓TikTok大獲成功的設計，可能已經違法。

The regulators released a preliminary decision that TikTok’s infinite scroll, auto-play features and recommendation algorithm amount to an “addictive design” that violated EU laws for online safety. The service poses potential harm to the “physical and mental well-being” of users, including minors and vulnerable adults, the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive branch, said in a statement.

擁有27個成員國的歐盟執行機構在聲明中說，監管機構發布初步裁決，TikTok的無限滾動、自動播放特色和推薦演算法構成「成癮性設計」，違反歐盟為網路安全制定的法律。這項服務對用戶「身心健康」造成潛在危害，包括未成年人和身心脆弱的成年人。

The findings suggest TikTok must overhaul the core features that made it a global phenomenon, or risk major fines.

這項認定意味著TikTok 若不全面調整其核心設計，恐將面臨巨額罰款。

“TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service,” the European Commission said in a statement.

歐盟執委會在聲明中說：「TikTok需要改變其服務的基本設計。」

TikTok said it planned to challenge the findings “through every means available to us.”

TikTok則表示，將「動用一切可行手段」對這項裁定提出挑戰。

Regulators accused TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, of disregarding signs it was being used compulsively, including available data about the time that minors spend on the platform at night and the frequency that users open the app. TikTok rewards users with new content, regulators said, encouraging them to keep scrolling and putting their brains into “autopilot.”

監管機構指控由中國大陸公司字節跳動擁有的TikTok，無視被強迫性使用的跡象，包括未成年人晚間使用該平台的時間，及用戶打開該應用程式的頻率等可用資料。監管機構表示，TikTok透過推播新內容獎勵用戶，鼓勵他們繼續滑並讓他們的大腦陷入「自動駕駛模式」。

TikTok, which has more than 200 million users in Europe, should limit infinite scroll features, create new screen time limits and change its recommendation system, the European Commission said.

歐盟認為，擁有超過2億名歐洲用戶的TikTok，應限制無限滾動功能、設立新的螢幕使用時間上限，並調整推薦系統。

No timeline was given on when authorities will make a final decision in the case. TikTok now has a chance to respond to the allegations. It faces potential fines of up to 6% of its global revenue for violations of an EU law called the Digital Services Act.

當局何時對針對這起案件做出最終裁決尚無時間表。TikTok現在有機會回應這些指控。該公司可能因違反被稱為「數位服務法」的歐盟法律，最高可能被處以全球營收6%的罰款。

TikTok has been under EU investigation since 2024 for the “rabbit hole effect” it has on users, particularly young people. A Pew Research Center report last year found that 16% of American teenagers said they were on TikTok “almost constantly.”

TikTok自2024年起即因對用戶、特別是年輕族群造成的「兔子洞效應」而遭歐盟調查。皮尤研究中心去年公布的報告顯示，16%的美國青少年表示自己「幾乎一直」都在使用TikTok。

The findings of European regulators are similar to allegations made in various U.S. lawsuits, which claim that features like endless feeds, automatically playing videos and personalized recommendations have led to compulsive use and caused depression, eating disorders and self-harm among young people.

歐洲監管機構的發現與美國多起訴訟的指控類似：TikTok的無限滾動、自動播放影片與個人化推薦等功能導致年輕人強迫性使用，進而引發憂鬱症、飲食障礙與自殘行為。

文／Adam Satariano，譯／羅方妤

說文解字看新聞

【張佑生】

無限滾動（endless scroll /feeds）加上投其所好的內容( irresistible content) ，讓人欲罷不能，都得拜精準調校過的演算法(well-honed algorithm)所賜,，看似貼心的服務卻是危機四伏。兔子洞效應(Rabbit Hole Effect)指使用者在演算法引導下，一路被推送高度相關內容，不知不覺投入大量時間(lost track of time)，難以抽身。

這個詞原是「愛麗絲夢遊仙境」的隱喻，後被科技與政策界借用，用來描述使用者在演算法引導下，不知不覺陷入高度沉浸、難以抽身的內容消費模式，這是當代數位平台研究的核心概念，又稱algorithmic rabbit holes.這個詞和成癮式設計(addictive design)、自動駕駛狀態(autopilot)、身心健康風險(potential harm to the physical and mental well-being of users)一起出現。紐時報導串起「演算法設計 →使用者心理→成癮爭議→法規治理」四個層次，非常適合作為讀者理解平台時代的入門案例。

YouTube在加州挨告(tech addiction trial)，辯稱自己不是類似臉書的社群媒體，反而更像Netflix這樣的影音平台。正是：道高一尺，魔高一丈。