EU Says TikTok Failed to Adequately Protect Children's Privacy

The European Commission said Friday that TikTok failed to adequately protect children's privacy by allowing adults to view the accounts of minors, Sam McNeil reported for The Associated Press (AP).

European regulators say TikTok must strengthen privacy protections for minors under the Digital Services Act. [Photo: Xinhua]

According to Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier, the platform's practices expose children to risks including cyberbullying, unwanted contact, and online grooming.

"Children's content must never be visible to strangers," Regnier said.

He warned that if TikTok does not implement measures required under the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), minors will remain vulnerable to online predators and cyberbullying.

Regnier also said children aged 13 to 15 can easily change their accounts from private to public, while the supposedly private accounts of users aged 16 and 17 may still be visible to anyone online.

"We do not accept this," Regnier said. "Putting default settings for minors is not a beauty contest under the DSA. It must be effective."

The investigation follows a series of regulatory actions by the European Union targeting major technology companies, including Meta and Apple, over compliance with the bloc's digital rules.