ICO Fines TikTok £12.7m For Misusing Children’s Data

TikTok has been fined £12.7m by the UK’s data watchdog for breaching data privacy laws relating to misusing children’s data. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found that TikTok had allowed approximately 1.4 million children in the UK to use its platform in 2020, without their parent’s consent. Although the platform had set a minimum age of 13 to create an account, many children under 13 were still able to access it. The ICO found that the children’s data was used to track and profile them, which could potentially expose them to harmful or inappropriate content.

This fine is one of the largest issued by the ICO and comes after a previous “notice of intent” was issued to TikTok for similar breaches. The platform has the right to appeal against the fine and has 28 days to do so. However, if the decision is upheld, it is possible that TikTok could face further fines as the UK Online Safety Bill requires social networks to carry out strict age verification processes. The Bill is expected to be passed in the coming months.

Whilst the fine is extraordinary, it shows that the ICO is serious about enforcing data protection laws and holding companies accountable for protecting the privacy of individuals, particularly if they are misusing children’s data. Ensuring compliance with data protection laws should be a top priority for all companies that handle personal data, and failure to do so can result in significant financial penalties and reputational damage.

If you have concerns about data protection or privacy, please get in touch with Chadwick Lawrence by filling in our online contact form.