TikTok Faces Privacy Fine in Europe
In a recent development, TikTok, the popular social media platform, has faced scrutiny over privacy concerns in Europe. European regulators have issued a substantial fine to TikTok for alleged violations of data privacy rules, specifically related to the protection of children’s privacy. Below, we delve into the details of the fine, the identified issues, and TikTok’s response.
European Regulators’ Fine
On September 15, European regulators imposed a significant fine of $345 million euros (equivalent to $500 million Canadian dollars) on TikTok. This fine was levied due to TikTok’s alleged failure to adequately protect the privacy of children and its violation of the European Union’s (EU) data privacy regulations.
TikTok slammed with $368 million fine for breaching Europe’s privacy laws for children pic.twitter.com/rIjkpMRmzz
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) September 15, 2023
What TikTok Did Wrong
The violations identified by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission date back to the second half of 2020 and include the following key issues:
- Automatic Public Accounts: TikTok’s sign-up process for teenagers automatically set their accounts to public, allowing anyone to view and comment on their content. This practice raised concerns as it exposed young users to potential risks.
- Family Pairing: TikTok’s “family pairing” feature granted parents excessive control over their teenagers’ accounts, enabling them to enable or disable private messaging without their teenagers’ consent.
- Privacy-Invasive Pop-ups: Investigators found that TikTok used pop-ups to guide teenagers toward making less cautious decisions regarding their privacy. This approach was seen as violating EU privacy laws established in 2018.
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TikTok’s Response
TikTok maintains that it had already taken steps to address these privacy concerns even before the investigation commenced in September 2021. Key measures taken by TikTok included:
- Making all accounts for teenagers under the age of 16 private by default.
- Disabling direct messaging for users aged 13 to 15.
Elaine Fox, TikTok’s head of privacy for Europe, emphasized in a blog post that “Most of the decision’s criticisms are no longer relevant as a result of measures we introduced at the start of 2021 — several months before the investigation began.”
Global Impact
It’s worth noting that these changes also apply to TikTok users in Canada. Furthermore, Canada is also investigating TikTok’s privacy practices, which suggests a growing global concern for the platform’s privacy measures.
In conclusion, TikTok has faced substantial fines in Europe for alleged privacy violations, particularly in relation to safeguarding children’s privacy. While the platform has made efforts to address these issues, ongoing investigations and regulatory scrutiny continue to shape the landscape of social media privacy.
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