EU Finds TikTok Violated Digital Safety Rules: Fines Loom Over Minor Privacy

The European Commission has issued preliminary findings against TikTok for failing to protect the privacy of minors on its platform. Regulators claim the social media giant's account settings do not meet the strict child safety standards mandated by the Digital Services Act (DSA). If these findings are upheld in the final decision, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, could face financial penalties of up to 6% of its total global annual revenue. This investigation follows a series of regulatory crackdowns on other Big Tech firms including Meta and Apple.

The Commission's report identifies several critical failures, including allowing minors to set their accounts to public by default. This setting makes content accessible to any user, including those without a TikTok account, which increases the risk of cyberbullying and exploitation. Furthermore, regulators highlighted that content from teenagers aged 16 and 17 is frequently recommended in the For You feed without adequate safeguards. The EU argues that platforms must build safety into their services by design rather than offering it as an optional feature for young users.

While TikTok remains banned in India due to security and safety concerns, this European ruling sets a significant global precedent for tech regulation. Indian policymakers are closely monitoring how the EU enforces safety-by-design principles to potentially inform the domestic Digital India Act. TikTok has defended its practices, stating it offers over 50 safety features for teens and that accounts for users under 18 are already private by default. The company will now have a formal opportunity to respond to the Commission's accusations before a final non-compliance decision is reached.