The TikTok app logo is seen in this photo illustration taken in Warsaw, Poland on 18 November, 2024.

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The EU is clamping down on social media firms and plans to target "addictive design" features on TikTok and Instagram as governments worldwide look to protect children from the harms of social media.

The region will take action against certain features on social media platforms later in the year, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday at the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children in Denmark.

CNBC has approached ByteDance and Meta for comment.

"We are taking action against TikTok and its addictive design – endless scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications.…