UK May Fine TikTok Over Children’s Data

Britain could fine TikTok US 29 million following an investigation that found the short-form video app may have breached UK’s data protection law by failing to safeguard privacy of children using the platform.

The investigation found that TikTok could have processed data of children under the age of 13 without appropriate parental consent and failed to provide proper information to its users in a transparent way.

“While we respect the ICO’s role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course,” a TikTok spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

ICO’s provisional view suggests that TikTok breached UK data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020.

In July, the US  Senate Commerce Committee voted to approve a measure that would raise the age children are given special online privacy protections to 16 and bar targeted advertising to children by companies such as TikTok and Snapchat without consent.

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