TikTok Lite Suspends Prize Features In The European Union

The Prize feature was removed from TikTok Lite. (Doc. Unsplash)

JAKARTA TikTokLite users in the European Union (EU) should be able to get 38 euro cents (IDR 6,570) just by watching videos for an hour. However, now it is no longer because the feature is suspended.

The prize feature became a polemic after TikTok Lite was launched in France and Spain in early April. According to the European Commission, this feature could encourage addictive potential for many users, especially for the younger generation.

Therefore, the European Commission investigated its features in depth and asked for a risk evaluation report regarding the use of the reward feature. They had threatened to suspend the awarding program.

Before the European Commission took action, TikTok suspended its features first. The company under ByteDance said it would suspend its features temporarily until the investigation was complete.

"TikTok is always trying to establish a constructive relationship with the EU Commission and other regulators. Therefore, we are voluntarily suspending the reward function on TikTok Lite while we address the concerns they pose," TikTok said via platform X.

To consider regulators' concerns, a TikTok spokesperson said that the prize feature was only available to users over 18 years of age. However, the European Commission was unsure about the statement.

The majority of social media, including TikTok, does not have a strong verification mechanism. The TikTok system is also considered unable to prevent children from registering and utilizing this feature in making money.

Although the point that the European Commission emphasizes is the addictive impact, TikTok Lite's statement is not completely wrong because the reward feature is not for children. Users must have Amazon or PayPal accounts to get gifts from TikTok.