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TikTok Fined £12.7M for Child Data Violations
24 Sep
Summary
- TikTok faces a £12.7 million fine from the ICO.
- The platform failed to protect underage children's data.
- Up to 1.75 million UK children under 13 used TikTok in 2020.
TikTok has been ordered to pay a £12.7 million penalty by the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The fine was imposed because the social media platform did not sufficiently ensure that underage children were not using its services and that their personal data was handled correctly.
An estimated 1.75 million UK children under the age of 13 were reportedly using TikTok in 2020, contrary to the company's terms of service. TikTok initially appealed the fine but has since withdrawn its appeal, meaning the penalty must be paid.
The ICO also confirmed that TikTok has dropped an appeal against a separate information notice concerning the processing of personal data for 13- to 17-year-olds. This appeal had halted the ICO's investigation into the platform's recommender systems.
A TikTok spokesperson stated that while they disagree with the ICO's decision, it pertains to a historical period between May 2018 and July 2020 and does not reflect current safety measures.
