TIKTOK examines by UK Watchdog for the use of children's data

The British Data Watchdog launched a “main inspection” in Tikkok's use of the personal information of children.

The office of the information commissioner (ICO) will examine the way in which the social media platform uses the data of 13 to 17 year olds to recommend further content.

John Edwards, the information commissioner, said it would investigate whether Tikok's data acquisition practices could lead to children having damage, such as

The BBC announced Tikok that the recommendation systems are operated under “strict and comprehensive measures that protect the privacy and security of teenagers”.

It added that the platform also “has robust restrictions for the content permitted in teenagers”.

Mr. Edwards said TikToks algorithm “Feeds” on personal data that can be seen from user profiles, settings, clicks and how long you can watch a specific video – and are subject to the rules in Great Britain.

In addition to the probe in TikTok, the ICO also checks the age review processes of Reddit and Imgur, an image sharing platform.

The investigation will examine whether the companies comply with both the UK data protection laws and the children's code.

The code is intended to design principles for online platforms that aim to protect children in Great Britain. Platforms that collect the user data for children in Great Britain must minimize the amount they collect and pay additional care when processing.

The ICO's investigation into Reddit and Imgur will concentrate on how the platforms check the age of their users and their enforcement of age reviews.

OFCOM said in October that Reddit had overtaken X as the most fifth -friendly platform in Great Britain.

Imgur says on his website that it reaches more than 250 million people per month. However, it does not mean which countries their users are based in, so there is no number for the number of people they use in Great Britain.

“I don't want to present how we could see the matters of Imgur and Reddit, but if there are age limits for access to services, the platforms have to enforce them in a way,” the information commissioner told the BBC.

“There are a number of different technologies and techniques I would say, and the degree of strict hangs, I think, partly from the risks, the likelihood that children will access these websites.

“I think a baseline would be: Self -declaration will probably not reduce it if the website or services on the website on the website are not suitable for children under the age of 13.”

A Reddit spokesman said the BBC that 95% of its users are adults, but they “plan to cause changes this year to deal with the updates for British regulations in relation to old -age insurance”.

Imgur did not answer the BBC's request for a comment.

The investigation does not necessarily mean that one of the three platforms violated the law.

But companies that have done this can be punished with assertiveness and fines.

“We patroy and there will be consequences for violations of the law,” said Edwards.

It is not the first time that Tikok was checked by the ICO. The platform appeals against an ICO Finish of 12.7 million GBP in 2023 for the abuse of children's data exhibited in 2023.