TikTok has been fined £12.7 million by UK regulatory body the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for breaching a number of data protection laws, including data misuse. Personal Data of Children and Adolescents Using the Site.
The investigation follows a regulatory order imposed last year that found the video-sharing app may have processed children’s data between May 2018 and July 2020 without proper parental consent.
UK fines TikTok $15.9 million for using children’s datahttps://t.co/4FCVrJVOuS
— Carta Capital (@cartacapital) April 4, 2023
TikTok has been fined BRL 70 million in the United Kingdom (Breed / Twitter).
According to the ICO, more than one million children under the age of 13 were using the app in 2020, which is against the tool’s terms of service. Additionally, it said these users’ data was used without the consent of parents or guardians.
Information Commissioner John Edwards said the agency did not do enough following the allegations, not checking who was using the site and not removing minors using the accounts. “Laws exist to ensure our children are as safe in the digital world as they are in the physical world. TikTok does not comply with these laws“, he said.
“As a result, approximately one million children under the age of 13 were given inappropriate access to the platform, with TikTok collecting and using their personal data. Your data may be used to track and profile you in order to provide you with harmful and inappropriate content.”, he concluded.
In another similar case, the application was completely banned in Australia this Tuesday (4). According to the country’s regulators, the decision has been taken due to security concerns. Therefore, after the decision comes into effect, no device associated with the Australian government can use the app.
Along with this decision, a spokesperson for TikTok said they “Very disappointing” with the conclusion. According to him, these are political reasons, not platform issues.
Featured Image: TikTok App (Playback/Twitter).
Henry Blackwell is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. His work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism.