TikTok hit with $368M fine for failing to protect children’s privacy

TikTok has been hit with a massive $368M fine by European regulators for failing to protect children’s privacy, according to the Ireland Data Protection Commission.

Over the last few years, TikTok has been under scrutiny from various governments around the world due to issues with how they handle data, protecting children’s privacy, and their affiliation with China.

Many states have banned it from government devices, and US officials have attempted to get the app banned in the United States.

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is the latest group to come after TikTok, this time with a $368M fine for failing to protect children’s privacy.

WDRB/TikTok

TikTok fined $368,000,000 by EU regulators

In a report, the Associated Press revealed more details surrounding the fine and why the EU regulators decided to fine TikTok.

According to AP, the investigation found that the sign up process for Teen users resulted in their accounts being public by default, which put kids under the age of 13 at risk even though they’re not allowed on the platform.

The report also says that TikTok’s “family pairing” feature wasn’t strict enough, and that it pushed teen users into more “privacy intrusive” options.

TikTok’s head of privacy for Europe made a statement after learning about the fine. “Most of the decision’s criticisms are no longer relevant as a result of measures we introduced at the start of 2021 — several months before the investigation began,” she said.

Regardless, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission still fined TikTok’s parent company ByteDance 345 million euros, or $368,000,000.

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