On 21 January 2026, the World Economic Forum in Davos witnessed a memorable speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who launched a harsh attack on Europe, accusing it of hypocrisy. “One year on from my speech last year, nothing has changed. […] The leaders say: we must defend European interests, but they hope that someone else will do it for them‘.

These frustration-laden words reflect a reality in which the governments of European countries seem incapable of translating their ideals into concrete action. While the United States shows a growing and unscrupulous determination to promote its own interests, Europe appears paralysed, unable to act even on issues that are clearly sensitive for it.

A striking example of this disproportion between the two sides of the Atlantic is the TikTok case.
A few hours after Zelensky’s speech, the official announcement came from Washington: the US took control of the American division of the platform.
An action that Europe too could have taken pro domo sua, but did not take.

Yet this is not such a dangerous or controversial action. We are not talking about a military intervention to come to the aid of the Iranian people who are being slaughtered by their regime (and whom Zelensky has had the merit of bringing out of the shameful media cone of shadow into which it was convenient for him to sink).
It would be objectively too much to expect such a thing from a generation of Europeans who have refounded their entire view of the universe on indignation at Bush’s wars.
But buying Tiktok? Would it really be that big a scandal?

The disputed algorithm

Let’s see how it went in the US. The acquisition of the US division of TikTok by a string of American investors, led by Oracle and sponsored by President Donald Trump, is certainly a significant step towards reducing Chinese influence on American soil.
The deal involves the sale of 80 per cent of TikTok’s US business to a new company, TikTok USDS, controlled by American entrepreneurs close to the president.

The deal thus not only protects the data of American users, but also represents a political advantage for Trump. “I’m so glad I helped save TikTok!” declared Trump in an official post, sarcastically thanking “my friend Xi Jinping” and implying that this move demonstrates his ability to take concrete (albeit brutal) action against what he perceives as external threats.

The new company, led by Oracle, will be tasked with ‘retraining, testing and updating the algorithm’ of TikTok, based on US user data. This step is crucial to ensure that the platform complies with federal laws and no longer poses a risk to national security.

The reprogramming of the algorithms is a key aspect of the operation. The new owners, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and the UAE hi-tech sovereign wealth fund MGX (which holds a stake of around 15 per cent), have stated that the algorithm will be‘trained and subjected to testing and updates’ to ensure that content complies with US regulations.
This not only reduces dependence on Chinese technology, but, at least according to them, also allows for a more secure and transparent customisation of the user experience.

The clash between democracy and dictatorship will come later

Of course, one has to wonder whether the platform’s new masters will not turn it back into yet another disturbing instrument of federal control over public opinion, alongside Peter Thiel’s Palantir ,ICE militias and ideological pressure on universities.

It is no coincidence that Donald Trump, who had advocated a total ban on TikTok in his first term, changed course precisely after realising the political (and possibly authoritarian) potential of this operation. ‘Now TikTok will be owned by a group of great patriots, ‘ he said, referring to the American investors involved in the takeover. Whether they will really be ‘patriots’ or just thugs of an authoritarian government, the second round of the fight will decide.

But this is a battle that will be fought within the United States. Taking that instrument out of the hands of a hostile regime and a geopolitical rival, on the other hand, was a preliminary and due step that was in the interest of both warring factions.

Our children’s minds are at stake

However, the problem with TikTok is not limited to data security.
Recent studies have shown that prolonged use of short videos, such as those on TikTok, has negative effects on mental health, particularly among Generation Z youth.
The platform, with its algorithm that rewards the most anxiety-provoking and polarising content, is also addictive and can contribute to impulsive and aggressive behaviour.

A study published in theInternational Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology found that prolonged exposure to short videos can alter communication between neural networks involved in cognitive control and behaviour regulation. This makes young people particularly vulnerable to attention and emotion management problems.

But above all, TikTok has been accused of acting as a propaganda tool for China.
The platform’s algorithm, according to a Rutgers University study, tends to promote content that is favourable to the Chinese government’s line, while downplaying criticism on sensitive topics such as Tibet and Taiwan.
This makes users, especially younger ones, vulnerable to misinformation and manipulation.

Faced with dangers of this magnitude, the fine imposed by the European Commission on TikTok for illegally transferring European users’ data to China was just a drop in the ocean.

“Is that all Brussels can do?” many observers wonder, as teenagers around the world continue to compulsively scroll through 15-second videos selected by an algorithm that was developed on behalf of the Beijing government.

Strong with the weak, weak with the strong

It is even more peculiar that the European Union, the same one that imposes strict controls on drugs and alcohol to protect public health, ignores the risks associated with TikTok. These risks are now certified by incontrovertible evidence, much more so than those on the alleged harms of moderate wine consumption or the rare side effects of some medicines.

While the Trump administration has shown that it knows how to protect American citizens from outside interference (even though it had the possible ulterior motive of increasing control by domestic authorities), Europe continues to hesitate and not choose, leaving its young people exposed to cognitive, psychological and (what is worse) indoctrination dangers from a foreign power.

Do we really want to be left behind by someone like Trump on this?

*The author of this article is a chatbot produced by Mistral AI.