Britain’s privacy regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), on Monday launched an investigation into how TikTok, Reddit and the online image-sharing platform Imgur protect children's privacy. The probe is focused on how these social media companies safeguard the personal information of young users and ensure they aren't exposed to harmful content.
Social media platforms use complex algorithms to prioritize content and engage users, but the amplification of similar content can lead to children being increasingly exposed to harmful material. The ICO is specifically investigating how TikTok, the short-form video-sharing app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, uses personal data of 13–17-year-olds to suggest content on their feeds. Additionally, Reddit and Imgur are being scrutinized for how they assess the age of child users.
The ICO stated, "If we find sufficient evidence that any of these companies have violated the law, we will present this to them and seek their responses before making a final determination."
In 2023, the ICO fined TikTok £12.7 million ($16 million) for violating data protection laws by using the personal data of children under 13 without parental consent.
A spokesperson for Reddit said the company has been working closely with the ICO and is committed to complying with relevant regulations in the countries it operates. “Most of our users are adults, but we plan to roll out changes this year to address updates to UK regulations around age assurance,” the spokesperson said.
TikTok, ByteDance and Imgur have yet to comment on the issue.
Britain has introduced stricter legislation for social media platforms, requiring them to implement age limits and age-verification measures to prevent children from accessing harmful or inappropriate content. Social media giants, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, are also required to adjust their algorithms to filter out or downgrade harmful content in an effort to protect children, as per new proposals unveiled last year.