The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced it is investigating how Tiktok, Reddit and Imgur can protect children on their platforms.
The survey of Tiktok is examining how the platform uses personal data from young users (13 to 17 years old) to make recommendations and suggestions, while the survey of Reddit and Imgur focuses on how the platform uses children’s personal information and how they use metrics to estimate children’s age or confirm children.
“If social media and video sharing platforms want to benefit from operations in the UK, they must comply with data protection laws,” said UK Information Commissioner John Edwards. “The responsibility to ensure children’s online safety is firmly placed at the doorstep of the companies that provide these services, and my office is unwaveringly committed to keeping them accountable.” The UK does not yet know if these companies violate personal data protection.
In 2023, the ICO fined Tiktok £12.7 million (US$16.1 million). The platform allowed up to 1.4 million children under the age of 13 in 2020 and used their data without the consent of their parents. The beast-owned company also faces opposition from young users, with mixed results.
