The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has fined TikTok £12.7m for failing to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13. The investigation found that the video-sharing site allowed up to 1.4 million UK children under the age of 13 to use the platform without parental consent, which violated its rules. Despite TikTok’s claims of investing heavily to stop under-13s from accessing the site, the ICO stated that many children were able to set up accounts without parental consent.
TikTok’s failure to abide by the laws aimed at keeping children safe in the digital world has led to the inappropriate collection and use of personal data, which may have been used to track and profile children. The fine amount, which is one of the largest issued by the ICO, reflects the serious impact of TikTok’s failures on the children.
In September 2022, the watchdog issued TikTok with a “notice of intent,” which was a precursor to handing down a potential fine. Information commissioner John Edwards stated that the penalties for violating the Children’s Code, which demands high levels of data privacy for children by default, can be high. The UK Online Safety Bill, which is expected to be passed in the coming months, requires strict age verification processes by social networks.
Campaigner Duncan McCann wanted the ICO to take action against TikTok for violating the regulator’s own Children’s Code, and like YouTube, TikTok is supposed to be for children aged 13 and over. Both firms have stated that they are doing everything possible to protect children online and provide a safe experience. TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has reportedly made $80bn in revenue in 2022, and with the platform already under global scrutiny over security concerns, the fine is undoubtedly a blow it could do without.
TikTok can appeal against the scale of the fine, and if successful, the ICO could reduce the final amount. The regulator has a maximum of 16 weeks, from issuing the notice of a proposed fine to delivering its final verdict. The fines received by the ICO go back to the Treasury. The app has been banned on government devices in several Western countries, including the UK, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the US.
In conclusion, TikTok has been fined £12.7m by the UK’s data watchdog for failing to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13. Despite TikTok’s rules requiring parental consent, the ICO found that many children were able to set up accounts without this. The fines received by the ICO go back to the Treasury, and many Western countries have banned TikTok due to concerns over data sharing with the Chinese government. TikTok can appeal against the scale of the fine, but the regulator has a maximum of 16 weeks to deliver its final verdict.
