British authority investigates the use of minors' data by TikTok and Reddit.
The data protection office is also investigating Imgur.
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is conducting an investigation into TikTok, Reddit, and Imgur, focusing on how these platforms handle the personal data of minors. This analysis arises in response to growing concerns about the way social media and video-sharing platforms collect and process information from younger users.
The ICO will examine how TikTok uses the personal data of teenagers aged 13 to 17 to feed its recommendation algorithms. On the other hand, Reddit and Imgur are being scrutinized regarding their use of personal information from children in the UK and the age verification measures they implement.
John Edwards, the UK's Information Commissioner, stated that social media and video-sharing platforms wishing to operate in the UK must comply with data protection legislation. He also emphasized that the responsibility to ensure the safety of children online lies with the companies providing these services, and his office is committed to holding them accountable.
TikTok, owned by ByteDance, has faced increasing scrutiny due to its ties to the Chinese government. In 2023, the ICO fined TikTok over $16 million for allowing children under 13 to access the app in 2020. Additionally, the platform risks being banned in the United States if it does not sell its U.S. assets before April 2025, a move that was initially pushed during the administration of former President Trump.
