Another huge step has been taken with regard to TikTok, the Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a €345 million ($368 million) fine for violating General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. This news comes months after the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined TikTok £12.7 million ($15.75 million) for similar reasons.

The platform also allowed Children’s accounts to pair with Adult accounts

The root of the issue lies in how TikTok manages the personal data of its younger users, specifically those aged between 13 and 17. According to the regulator, TikTok defaulted these accounts to “public,” making their profiles and videos freely accessible to anyone. This setting, along with the absence of opt-in measures for features like Duet and Stitch, exposed young users to potential risks. Moreover, the platform also permitted children’s accounts to pair with adult accounts without validation, thereby further compromising their safety.

While TikTok is not the first social media platform to face scrutiny over data protection issues, its violations raise broader questions about the online safety of minors. The regulatory bodies’ active steps in penalizing TikTok send a strong message to all social media platforms to better safeguard young users. Unlike previous cases involving adult users, the focus here is on a vulnerable population who may not fully understand the implications of their online activities.

Though the Irish Data Protection Commission did not specifically investigate TikTok’s practices concerning kids under 13, its actions bring attention to the overall lack of secure measures for minors across the digital world. This highlights the urgency for not just TikTok but all online platforms to enforce stronger safety measures for their underage user base.

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