Posted Apr 4, 2023, 8:29 PM
New setback for TikTok. The Chinese social network was fined 12.7 million pounds (14.5 million euros) by the British digital regulator, the ICO, for “illegal” use of personal data of children, while that the group is subject to increasing sanctions or restrictions across the Western world.
In particular, the ICO estimates that TikTok allowed up to 1.4 million children under the age of 13 in the UK to open an account on its platform in 2020, contrary to its official rules. The regulator also points to the use of their data without the consent of their parents.
“Concerns”
The ICO investigation found that TikTok failed to conduct “adequate checks to identify and cancel accounts of children” under the age to use its platform, even as some executives did. raise internal concerns regarding this, details the ICO in a press release.
“There are laws in place in the UK to make sure our children are safe in the digital world” and TikTok has not respected them, commented John Edwards, British information commissioner, quoted in the communicated.
“TikTok is a platform for users aged 13 or over. We are investing heavily to keep those under 13 out” of the social network, reacted TikTok according to a statement received by AFP.
“Although we disagree with this fine which relates to the period between May 2018 and July 2020, we are happy to see that it has been reduced by half” compared to the amount initially envisaged by the ICO, adds TikTok, who says he is studying his response to this fine.
Obligation in France to verify parental consent
France voted for its part at the beginning of March an obligation for social networks like TikTok or Snapchat to verify the agreement of parents for the registration of children under 15.
It is one of the links in a series of initiatives aimed at regulating the digital uses of children. In the event of a violation, a sanction is provided for, with a fine of up to 1% of the company’s worldwide turnover.
In 2019, US regulators fined TikTok $5.7 million for illegally collecting personal data from children.
The social networks Instagram and TikTok, as well as the video platform YouTube represent the three main sources of information among teenagers in the United Kingdom, according to a study by the British media regulator Ofcom.
Regularly, social networks are accused of having harmful effects on the youngest users, for example by overexposing them to the apparently ideal lives of other people or to inappropriate advertisements.
In California, an American state that is home to Silicon Valley and its tech giants, parliamentarians adopted a text at the end of August intended to oblige social networks or online gaming platforms to put the interests of children before their profits.
TikTok banned on civil servants’ phones
All companies offering online services dedicated to those under 18 or likely to be used by minors “must take into account the best interests of children when designing, developing and providing” their services, according to this text.
The White House, the European Commission as well as the Canadian, British and Australian governments have also recently banned their officials from using TikTok on their work phones. The Norwegian Parliament and the Swedish army did the same.
The United States notably accuses TikTok, a subsidiary of the Chinese group ByteDance, of serving as a tool for Beijing to spy on and manipulate Americans.
Source: AFP