The European Commission has preliminarily concluded that TikTok does not adequately protect the privacy of underage users. If the violation is confirmed, the platform could face a fine of up to 6% of its total annual revenue, according to infohub.kz.
According to the regulator, the platform's settings allow adult users to view children's accounts, increasing risks of cyberbullying, unwanted contacts, and abuse. Specifically, teenagers aged 13-15 can easily make their profiles public, while accounts of users aged 16-17 that are set to private are still viewable by any internet user.
TikTok now has the opportunity to present its explanations and objections. If the company's response does not satisfy the regulator, the European Commission may formally find non-compliance with the Digital Services Act and impose a fine.
TikTok has stated that it will review the Commission's findings and continue engaging with European authorities. The company also emphasized that it shares the goal of protecting minors online and intends to strengthen relevant measures. According to the Commission, a significant portion of TikTok's 170 million users in the EU are children.