The UK’s privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has launched an investigation into TikTok, Reddit, and Imgur over concerns about how they handle children’s data.
The ICO is specifically looking into how TikTok’s recommendation system processes kids’ data, potentially exposing them to harmful content. Meanwhile, separate investigations into Reddit and Imgur focus on how these platforms determine the ages of young users.
“If we find sufficient evidence that any of these companies have broken the law, we will engage with them before reaching a final conclusion,” the ICO stated. This follows a previous £12.7 million ($15.9 million) fine imposed on TikTok in April 2023 for violating data protection laws, including collecting data from children under 13 without parental consent. A 2020 report found that up to 1.4 million UK children were using TikTok despite being under the platform’s age limit.
UK Information Commissioner John Edwards emphasized that companies must comply with data protection laws if they want to operate in the UK. “The responsibility to keep children safe online lies firmly at the door of the companies offering these services, and my office is committed to holding them to account,” he said.
A recent ICO study revealed that 42% of British parents feel they have little or no control over the data social media and video-sharing platforms collect about their children.
UK Investigates TikTok, Reddit, and Imgur Over Children's Data Privacy
